Heart of the Curse
by Nintendo Queen
Summary: They were trapped together; locked into an eternal contract. But when Ciel finds a way out, will be be willing to free his demon even at the ultimate cost? SebastianxCiel  Rated M for later chapters  Post Season 2
1. The Devil

…**I'm such a fanfiction whore. But whatever. I decided I'm so deeply and passionately in love with the Sebastian/Ciel pairing, I'm gonna write a full blown fanfic about it. Hooray! Now, granted, I've really only seen Season 1 of Kuroshitsuji and parts of Season 2 (including the ending which leaves a monstrous, bittersweet taste in my mouth) and I've read all of the released manga.**

**This fanfic is post Season 2 ending, simply because I'm intrigued to try something that came to my head in a dream one night after going on a Kuroshitsuji fanfic binge. All will be explained later. I am hoping you guys will enjoy this fic. It's going to be a bit of a stretch, and my first full-blown yaoi fanfic, so let's give it a shot.**

**(PS: I don't CARE if Ciel/Sebastian is shota; I still support the pairing to the point of it being an unhealthy obsession. If you do not agree with the pairing, then WHY are you even reading this fanfic?)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sebastian or Ciel. Kuroshitsuji and all of its characters are property of Yana Toboso. Please support the original anime and manga. I only own the plot of this fanfiction.**

**The Tarot cards and their meanings are courtesy of the book "How to Read Tarot" by Liz Dean.**

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><p><em><strong>Heart of the Curse<strong>_

_The Devil_

"_The Devil – you are tied up to a commitment that is enslaving you, but it is your perception of this situation that allows it to continue in a way that is ultimately unsatisfying."_

"_But…how can I fix it then?"_

"_Well, my young demon, you have to consider the feelings of others aside from your own. You know why things are the way they are. That mark in your eye explains it all, yes?"_

"Bocchan?" Blue eyes blinked and looked up into half-lidded red eyes. "You are losing your train of thought again." Ah, that's right. He had been listening to Sebastian prattle on about…something. To be quite frank, the formal earl could not even recall paying enough attention to even realize what was being said to him, let alone retain it.

"Sorry, Sebastian." Ciel Phantomhive sighed, running a hand through his teal hair and sat back in his chair. It'd been a good three years in the human world since he and Sebastian had left the Phantomhive manor and everyone else in their lives behind to live as two demons.

Sebastian continued to serve Ciel faithfully, though his demeanor was even more serious than before…if that was even possible. His usual, teasing smirk had vanished and was replaced with a stiff line that was supposed to be his lips and expressionless eyes. Ciel would never confess it aloud, but he missed the old Sebastian – the one who had served him when he was human. The one who had always acted perfectly while teasing and sometimes mocking him with that cocky smirk, and poking fun at his human cracks and flaws with what could be seen as delight in those scarlet eyes. That butler seemed like a distant dream instead of a memory.

"_Figures he's bitter…when I was human, he knew he had my soul to look forward to. Now, he only has an eternity of servitude ahead of him…" _Ciel thought sourly, touching the eye patch over his contract.

Sebastian was still, by any means, one hell of a butler. He was able to constantly provide money, toiletries, clothing, and living arrangements without any problem whatsoever. He and Ciel would remain in an area for a few months before moving on, in order to avoid keeping the attention of people for too long.

Though Ciel suspected Sebastian maintained connections through mobsters and criminals in order to maintain their stream of comfortable wealth. But he wasn't complaining. He even played the same charade of preparing tea and sweets for Ciel, despite the fact that the boy no longer needed any human sustenance.

This time, the two were staying in a country house in Florence, Italy and Ciel was sitting in the parlor while Sebastian pretended to pour him tea. Ciel wore a white, collared shirt with a plain, grey cravat and a deep maroon vest with a pair of grey trousers. The dreary color palette had become something of a staple in his wardrobe. Although he occasionally dressed more extravagantly for purely nostalgic purposes, he had come to prefer simple, dark colors and patterns.

It did remind him constantly of when he had danced with Lizzy for the last time and her comment on how plain clothing did not suit him. While he did agree plain was a little peculiar for him, he did find a certain charm to it. He was the kind of person who could carry himself in just about any form of attire (even if said attire was a pink, taffeta dress with plenty of lace, ribbons, and flowers).

"Bocchan?" Ciel shook his head, trying to will away the memories of the corset. Oh…the corset…

"I'm sorry, Sebastian, what were you saying?" he asked, blinking up at the butler, who continued to wear an apathetic mask on that so-called, devilishly handsome face.

"You have piano lessons this afternoon with a Lady Fidelia, and then there will be a gala tonight that you have been invited to." Ciel felt his irritation creep into his voice as he leaned against his palm.

"Remind me how it is we continuously get invited to these soirees when I am not a socialite anymore?" Sebastian cocked his head to the side ever-so-slightly.

"We still travel in style and stay in luxury homes in cities, it is only natural you are invited to these events, Bocchan. Although you are no longer under the title of an earl, you are still aristocracy, no matter how you look at it. Unless you prefer to stay in less extravagant accommodations, which can certainly be arranged." Ciel waved off the last statement.

"Urgh, very well. I suppose it will be nice to get out for a bit. Will you go and prepare my attire for the event?"

"Already done, Bocchan." Sebastian placed a hand on his chest, bowing forward slightly, his eyes closed. "A Phantomhive butler who can't even manage that much is not worth his salt." Even the familiar phrase sounded wrong to Ciel now. There was no…urgh, what was the word? Heart was definitely the wrong choice for the demon. Soul…well, that was even more wrong. Even emotion didn't seem to fit in the sentence.

Effort, perhaps?

"Good, thank you. Well then…you are free to entertain yourself however you wish until this evening when it is time for me to dress." Sebastian blinked in surprise at the lenient dismissal and Ciel returned his attention to the marked book on the table, flipping it over to the page he'd left off.

"Bocchan…"

"You have not had the chance to hunt recently. I thought I'd allow you to tend to your own personal needs." His tone was reminiscent of him waving off the statement with his hand. Apathetic. Almost bored. "And Sebastian, I am planning to start hiring maids to take care of the cleaning so you will not have to take it upon yourself anymore."

"Bocchan, it really is no problem. Do not trouble yourself for my sake."

"It's not for your sake, Sebastian. I just figured you have other obligations is all. Cleaning should be the work of a maid anyway. As my butler, you need to spend your time doing more productive things than cleaning." For just a brief moment, Ciel thought he caught sight of Sebastian's old smirk, but it was gone as quickly as it came and he merely bowed again.

"Very good, Bocchan." He turned and left Ciel alone in the parlor and he sighed, looking around the room as soon as he was certain the demon was no longer lurking nearby.

"_You have to consider the feelings of others aside from your own. You know why things are the way they are. That mark in your eye explains it all, yes?"_

"Tch. Stupid tarot reader…I should never have suffered through such ludicrous nonsense…" Ciel stared at the book without reading the words for a good fifteen minutes before he gave up and threw it aside, sighing heavily as he slouched in his seat, covering his eyes with one hand. He stood up and grabbed his coat before leaving the house into the chilly air of Florence.

The streets bustled with carriages and people and Ciel sighed before placing his black top hat on his head and walking down the streets alone, hands shoved into coat pockets to keep them warm. Or, rather, that was what one might assume when looking at him. They would assume he was just a normal, human boy, trying to protect himself from the cold.

It felt strange to travel without Sebastian at his side, but he'd done so before. The feeling of independence did begin to creep into his small form and he did enjoy it to an extent. Granted, he could never imagine life without Sebastian; and their unfulfilled contract all but guaranteed Sebastian's eternal devotion to him.

"_Though he isn't exactly happy about it…"_ The bitter thought crossed Ciel's mind and he stopped, staring down at the pavement as the people passed him without paying him any mind whatsoever. _"If Sebastian is truly cursed by this contract, can't he simply end it? Why does he deal with it?"_

At that moment, the thought occurred to Ciel that maybe Sebastian _**couldn't**_ break their contract, and that was why he stayed with the boy. He recalled his final order to Sebastian in the labyrinth of roses.

"_You are to remain my butler until you come up here and devour my soul!"_

"_Yes, my lord."_

Now…that soul could never be devoured, therefore locking Sebastian into an endless order; an endless contract. All of this was against the demon's will, and Ciel couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt creep from his lower stomach and spread throughout his small form. No matter how many times he reminded himself it had been that brat, Alois's, fault…the guilt did not cease. If anything else, it only served to sicken him more.

He continued to walk down the streets, exhaling small puffs of breath. As a demon, he did not normally feel hot or cold like humans did. He did understand it was cold, but he was not shivering or huddling up like the people around him were. He merely walked with his hands shoved into his pockets, hunched forward ever so slightly so the brim of his hat protected his eyes from any chilling winds.

As a demon, his senses were sharpened, but were also dulled in a sense. Temperature failed to greatly affect him now. He was capable of putting his hand in a pan of boiling water with it only causing him a slight prickling of irritation instead of searing pain. He was able to stand out in an icy snowstorm wearing nothing but his nightgown and only feel a cool wind instead of stabbing ice.

Taste was the other sense that was muted. Human food had fewer flavors than before. He was able to distinguish spicy, sour, sweet, bitter, and salty flavors, but they were not very strong. Or, maybe, they just didn't taste right anymore because he did not have any reason to eat them. Now, when Sebastian made him a cake in order to provide him familiar comfort, Ciel would eat it and his memory of how cakes tasted made it enjoyable. But if you blindfolded him and fed him cake, it was like eating a piece of a sponge. Pretty pointless and actually somewhat disgusting. It made him understand what Sebastian had meant when he was unable to tell him whether or not something tasted ok. His senses were not meant to understand human things…the same way humans were not meant to understand a demon's logic.

Now, the only thing Ciel truly tasted was human souls. He dined on one every few weeks or so, and they were unlike anything he'd ever consumed before. They were not exactly tangible, so he did not chew them or touch them. They were almost like a strong puff of air in terms of texture and feeling, but also had an almost syrupy, smooth weight and feel on the tongue and throat. The scent of the soul was the most enticing part about consuming them. It took him a while to come to terms with eating them, but he found the experience overall not entirely unpleasant. Just odd.

His sense of smell was unnaturally acute and spoke more about foods than taste could. He wondered if bloodhounds smelled with the same nose he now had and found it intriguing at how sensitive he truly was to odors. One odor in particular he was familiar with was that of Sebastian. In a crowd of fifty, sixty people, Sebastian was notably easy to pick out, even if he was nowhere in sight. The man had a scent that nothing like a human's. It was not weighed down with perfume or food or sweat or blood. No…it was something rich, heavy…almost musky, but not really.

Sight was the one sense that did not seem to change, except in the dark. Ciel was able to navigate perfectly, even if it was pitch black. In the darkness, everything had a reddish hue to it and was perfectly easy to see. Sebastian told him demons were normally able to see in the dark, but it still astounded Ciel to no end. He would stand in a pitch black room and marvel at everything he was suddenly able to see.

Hearing, like smell, was incredibly acute. But not to quite the same degree as smell. Ciel noticed he was more sensitive to high-pitched sounds like whistles, and he was able to hear what people on the other side of a room were whispering about with ease, which was both useful and irritating. So now Ciel valued peace and silence more than ever.

Sebastian had assured him he would grow accustomed to these "improved" senses soon enough, but after three years, he still felt lost in his own skin as he walked around, trying awkwardly to adjust.

Ciel continued traipsing around the city, not really caring where he wound up, when he crashed into someone's back.

"Excuse me," he mumbled.

"Watch where you're – oh no, it's the little brat back from the dead!" Ciel looked up and saw a pair of glasses, long red hair, sharp teeth, and green eyes that did not show any signs of being happy to see him.

"Oh…great…" Ciel sighed.

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><p><strong>And so ends chapter one! I hope you all like this story so far.<strong>

**Please review! I love favorites, but reviews let me know what you think of the story itself, and I'd love at least five reviews before updating again.**

**See you all next chapter!**


	2. The High Priestess

**YAY! I got 7 reviews for the last chapter, thank you very much everyone! Now here is the update, I hope you all enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sebastian or Ciel. Kuroshitsuji and all of its characters are property of Yana Toboso. Please support the original anime and manga. I only own the plot of this fanfiction.**

**The Tarot cards and their meanings are courtesy of the book "How to Read Tarot" by Liz Dean.**

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><p><em>The High Priestess<em>

"_**What**_ in the world are you doing here?"

"I could be asking you the same question, Grell Sutcliff." The flamboyant red-head snorted and flipped his hair over his shoulder, resting a black gloved hand on his hip.

"Well, if you _**must**_ know, William sent me here on some business. Imagine my surprise to find the same little brat who I thought died in England three years ago." Ciel frowned.

"Nice to see you too." Grell leaned forward, quirking a red eyebrow as his lip curled slightly.

"So, tell me, kid, how are you still alive, hm?"

"Is that really any of your business, reaper?" Ciel asked, crossing his arms over his chest with a frown forming on his rosy lips.

"Ah, it is, actually." Grell wagged a finger at him knowingly. "Grim reapers are the gods of death, after all." Ciel sighed.

"I am technically dead. I'm not human anymore." Grell arched a brow.

"Not human, eh? Care to share with the class how you managed to pull _**that**_ little trick off? Hmm? Come on now, don't be shy." Ciel slapped his hand away, glaring up at him.

"Look, I'm really not in the mood to go into the details, so why don't we just go our separate ways and leave it at that."

"Hm…well you're in a peppy mood, aren't you?" Grell spat sarcastically.

"You weren't exactly enthusiastic to see me again," Ciel pointed out and Grell rolled his eyes before gasping.

"Hey, hold on a second, if you're still alive, then Sebas-chan can't be far, can he?" Ciel shrugged.

"I'm not sure where he is. I gave him the afternoon off."

"So he _**is**_ still with you! Ohh, my Sebas-chan! Maybe running into this brat of yours was destiny!" Ciel sweatdropped as Grell began to dance around excitedly with thoughts of Sebastian coursing through his strange, twisted little mind.

"Right…" Ciel frowned and suddenly looked thoughtful. "Hey Grell, can you answer a question for me?"

"That would depend on the question, kid. If the question is 'will I bear Sebas-chan's babies?' the answer is 'yes!'" Ciel resisted the urge to start retching and running away and merely swallowed heavily, shaking his head.

"What happens to a human's soul if they turn into a demon?" Grell seemed genuinely startled by the question and looked up, pursing his lips slightly.

"Heh, hell if I know, kid. I don't know too many demons, and I know even fewer who were once human. But my guess is the soul disappears, poof."

"But…that doesn't seem possible. You said it yourself, your death scythe can rip the soul from a demon, and so if demons can have souls, how can mine have disappeared altogether."

"I did say that, didn't I? Ah, no, demons don't actually have souls in the sense humans do, which is why they're so much harder to kill. However, you make a good point. Souls really don't disappear; they just end up somewhere else. When you die, they go to either heaven of hell based on the judgment of god. Or, in your case, they're eaten by a demon." Grell paused and looked at Ciel. "So…why ask me this?"

"No reason…" Grell reached forward and snatched Ciel's eye patch from his face, revealing the contract and he hissed in disgust.

"You brat! You have no soul for my Sebas-chan to consume, so he's stuck to you!" Ciel snatched his eye patch back, glaring at Grell and placed it back on his face. "I don't believe this! How could my beloved be stuck to a selfish little snot like you? I could kill something, I'm so angry!"

Ciel took the moment to get away from Grell, sinking into the crowd of people coursing through the town until Grell lost sight of him.

"Damn it…William will kill me if I cause too much commotion…" Grell hissed, clenching a fist.

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><p>Ciel found his way to the country house and slammed the door behind him, sinking to the ground with a sigh. He stared up at the ceiling, Grell's words ringing in his head.<p>

"_Souls really don't disappear; they just end up somewhere else."_

"_I need to find out more about what happened to my soul…"_ Ciel stood up and brushed off his coat before hanging it up along with his top hat, moving into the parlor. "But who do I ask about this?"

A knocking at his door drew his attention from his thoughts and he answered it to find a woman standing there.

"Master Ciel?" He nodded shortly and she smiled and stepped in, removing her fur coat and hat. "A pleasure, I am Lady Fidelia. Shall we begin your piano lesson?" Ciel nodded shortly. She was a tall, graceful woman with raven hair, creamy skin, and brown eyes.

She sauntered into the room and sat with Ciel at the bench, arranging the sheet music and instructing him on what to play. He remained fairly silent for the next hour and a half, allowing his fingers to dance on the ivory keys, letting her be the puppet master holding the strings to his marionette hands.

At the end, she praised him and appeared satisfied before leaving him alone to his thoughts again.

When Sebastian returned, Ciel was already standing in his room, the clothes on his bed and his back to Sebastian.

"How did the piano lessons go?" he asked while dressing him.

"Fine," Ciel answered simply. He had taken to buttoning his own buttons himself and only having Sebastian help him with harder things to reach or tying his cravats. He was getting better at lacing up his own shoes, but Sebastian still had to help him most of time for the bows he created were awkward and lopsided while Sebastian's were perfect.

"Was the madam to your liking?"

"I suppose." Sebastian stood up and Ciel observed his appearance in the full-length mirror. He wore a dark blue coat with a black bow and a silk, collared shirt with silver buttons that matched his cuff links. His pants were a dark blue as well and we wore white stockings and black shoes with a small, black top hat that had a blue and silver ribbon. "…very good," Ciel said simply, turning away from the mirror without looking at his butler. "Are you not going to change?"

"Sir?"

"You are attending this event as well, are you not?"

"But I am merely your attendant; I find it hardly appropriate to-"

"I am your master, and I order you to prepare yourself accordingly. I shall wait for you in the parlor. Do not keep me waiting." Sebastian watched Ciel exit the room and rested his gloved hand to his pursed lips, not uttering a word.

Ciel sat in the parlor and read a book, wondering what had possessed him to order Sebastian to dress for a gala. Shaking his head, he attempted to resume reading when the sound of footsteps plucked his focus from the printed world and to the man in the doorway.

Sebastian was a sight in a black coat with a deep, red silk shirt and black cravat, and black trousers. His shoes were brilliantly polished and the red in the shirt seemed to make his crimson eyes glow more than they usually did.

Ciel suddenly felt a strange, fluttering sensation deep within the pit of his stomach and shook it off quickly, standing up.

"Took you long enough."

"Forgive me, my lord," he said, bowing.

"Well, come along, then. We do not want to be late." Sebastian nodded and followed his Bocchan to the door where a carriage waited for them. The horses took off down the streets and they arrived at the grand ballroom where the gala was taking place.

Dozens upon dozens of the wealthy upper-class were in attendance. The swoosh of ball gowns and tailcoats painted the room as the music colored the air. Laughter and conversation were sprinkled upon the orchestra's harmony and Ciel took in the familiar scene with indifference. He had never been one for balls and parties, finding them to be a shallow waste of time, but it was too late to walk out now.

On the positive note, he was not known as Ciel Phantomhive in this society, so the people would not crowd upon him, hoping to schmooze him and gain his favor. Though, his youth did attract some attention, as did his devilishly handsome butler. More than one woman immediately batted her lashes as him, giggling and flashing him a smile.

Sebastian remained unfazed by these actions, keeping his cool composure as he followed Ciel through the room. Few people in the room were anywhere near Ciel's age, and the ones that were came off as snobby and uninteresting. Bored by the stupor of incompetence that seemed to radiate in the room, Ciel attempted to drink some punch in hopes to gathering his thoughts.

Sebastian stayed at his side, never wavering, never expressing anything other than tranquil calmness. Round after round of dancing commenced, and at last, Ciel grew annoyed at the hungry gazes thrown in Sebastian's direction and merely asked,

"Why do you not go dance or something?"

"Bocchan?" Sebastian asked, looking surprised at the suggestion.

"It's very clear many women in the room want nothing more than to have a round with you. So why not indulge them? You do not have to stay glued to my side for the entire evening." Sebastian blinked again and Ciel sipped his drink casually, trying to ignore a sudden, sick feeling creeping into his lower gut again.

"Very well, my lord." Ciel was surprised when Sebastian walked away, and soon enough he caught sight of him whirling with a woman, then another, then another. He saw him smile charmingly at each one in his arms, and for whatever reason, this truly pissed him off.

He growled and slammed his cup down on the table, hard enough to make everything on the table quake and crack the bottom of the glass before he left to retreat to the balcony.

As soon as the glass doors closed behind him, the silence consumed him and his tense muscles relaxed as he closed his eyes to the welcomed, sobering night air. "Much better…" he sighed.

"Couldn't handle the competition, eh?" Ciel's eyes flew open and he spun to see none other than Grell in a red suit, sitting on the stone bench, drinking what looked to be a glass of red wine. But for all Ciel knew, it could be a cup of blood for the sadistic reaper. The reaper had a wicked smirk on his face, his long crimson hair in a ponytail and his heeled boots tapping against the stone.

"What are you doing here?"

"I got bored, and I figured I'd find you and my delicious Sebas-chan here!" Grell chuckled darkly and stood up, approaching Ciel in a style that did not differ too far from a tiger on the prowl for its prey. Ciel wondered faintly if the idea of eating him was crossing Grell's mind, before he shrugged it off as ridiculous.

"Well, Sebastian is a bit preoccupied at the moment, in case you couldn't tell," Ciel said icily as Grell backed him to the railing of the balcony, trapping the young demon.

"It's amusing and sickening how oblivious you are to your own envy," Grell hissed with a dark chuckle, glaring down at Ciel before reaching out, taking the boy's chin in his hand. "It would be sooooo easy for me to chop you up right now and take my darling Sebas-chan for myself." Ciel growled and smacked Grell's hand away, glaring.

"I hardly think he'd go for you. His taste doesn't fall to feminine men."

"You brat, who the hell are you to tell me who Sebas-chan will or won't fall for?" Grell snarled, bringing his hand up to strike Ciel. His eyes flashed red and he caught Grell's wrist, adding pressure to bend it back far enough to test the bone and causing Grell to wince in pain.

"Don't you dare lay a filthy hand on me…" Ciel growled in a voice that would make Satan himself nod in admiration, his azure eye flashing into a brilliant crimson. Grell's eyes widened and he stumbled back from the boy, rubbing his sore appendage.

"You really are a bloody demon, aren't you, kid?" he mumbled, frowning. "I feel bad that Sebas-chan has to deal with a little brat like you for all eternity. His life is going to be misery." Ciel snarled at this and Grell smirked. "But maybe he'll come and ask me to do him a favor and end him one of these days."

"Shut up!" Ciel barked, clenching his fists. Grell laughed.

"Did I hit a nerve? You know I'm only telling you the truth, little demon brat! Sebas-chan only stayed by your side for that soul of yours, and now that it's gone, he's stuck with you. Do you really think he's happy about that? A fate like that is a fate worse than hell itself!" Ciel trembled slightly in anger, his eyes still burning red.

If looks could kill, Grell would be writhing in hellfire himself. The reaper chuckled and backed up from Ciel.

"Think about that, little Phantomhive. All Sebas-chan wants from you is your soul. If he can't have it, you can go burn and rot for all he'll care." And with those words, the reaper was gone and Ciel was left alone, still trembling and panting with anger.

He gripped his head, falling back, as he shut his eyes and tried to calm himself. He refused to cry out for Sebastian to come and help him, even though the word formed in his throat and pushed against his lips.

"Damn that reaper!" he growled, shaking his head as he took slow, deep breaths through the nose, his lips curling in disgust. He turned his back to the glass doors, looking out to the world below him, gripping the railing with so much strength; he felt his fingers leave indents in the metal.

"_The devil…"_

He shook his head a little and he could see the ghostly hand flipping the next card.

"_The high priestess. You will have a personal desire for guidance or knowledge in making a major decision."_

"What major decision could I have to make?" Ciel scoffed, making a face. He pursed his lips and looked up to the night sky. "Still…I do have to wonder what did actually become of my soul when Hannah fulfilled her part of the contract…"

Ciel looked over his shoulder and decided he'd had enough of the social scene and leapt over the edge of the balcony, landing on the cobblestone path in the garden below. He straightened and cocked his head to the side slightly, pursing his lips in thought.

"My soul…who to ask about that?"

An idea struck the boy and he walked forward to the townhouse, writing a quick note before taking a coat and leaving the darkened house.

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><p>"Ehehe, I was wondering when you'd pay me a visit again, milord."<p>

"I'm not a lord anymore, Undertaker." The retired reaper rose from the coffin, his long silver hair flowing about him and the typical, manic grin stretching upon his face as he tapped his fingers together.

"Good to see you again. And not a day older than before." He smirked at Ciel's reddened gaze. "Demon."

"You are a reaper, and a man of vast knowledge. I have a question in regards to a…stranger topic."

"And that would be?"

"What becomes of a human's soul if he becomes a demon?" Undertaker chuckled wickedly and licked his lips as Ciel crossed his arms over his chest, frowning slightly at the man.

"Are you trying to search for a specific soul in particular? Namely _**yours**_ I wonder."

"If you're not going to answer the question, then we are wasting time." Undertaker chuckled which only served to greater fuel Ciel's aggravation and he leaned back in his chair, raking a blackened claw along his lower lip.

"I'm sure you are already aware of this, but it is pretty rare for humans to become demons, especially under the same circumstances as you. Demons are born from Hell by Satan himself. He creates them from the sins and darkness of human hearts, as God creates angels from the chastity and goodness of human hearts. Of course, demons can change their true intentions as can angels, and when that happens, they are normally destroyed. But that's another story for another day."

Ciel huffed impatiently and Undertaker only chuckled again.

"However, once in a while, a human is turned demon by interferences from the outside. Now, because demons are thought to not have souls, you assume your soul has gone. However, in actuality, demons do have a soul in a sense, but it is different form a human soul. It is almost like a shadow within them, and it is created entirely out of sin. It is so miniscule, many believe it does not exist, but it does. So, if a reaper decided to take a demon's soul, it would technically be possible."

"So…did my human soul change form or something?" Ciel asked.

"No. Unfortunately, this subject matter is very…well, mysterious, so little is known about it. However, I can offer you my…theory. You see, your soul harbored darkness and sin, so whatever piece of your soul carried that remained within you and the rest was lost. But it did not simply vanish. Have you ever heard of lost souls, little Phantomhive?"

"Eh…not…really…"

"They are souls of people who were not judged to enter Heaven or Hell for one reason or another. They were not consumed by demons or collected by reapers or angels. These souls gather and are like gases – they move freely and randomly and are difficult to find. However, there is a reaper who collects these souls for his own personal…collection. Perhaps he may know what became of your soul?"

"Where can I find him?"

"Ah, that's the thing; he never stays in one spot for long. Last I heard of him was in France, but that was a good time ago. But…if you look for him, you will not find him. If you call him, he'll find you."

"What does that mean?"

"You're a smart child – discover it for yourself." Ciel pulled a face at being called a "child" and stood up, replacing his hat on his head.

"Thank you for your time, Undertaker. I must be going now."

"_**Do**_ come visit me again, sometime. And bring your butler friend along. I do crave some _**prime**_ laughter. Ehehehe."

"I'll bear that in mind. Good day." Ciel exited the door and exhaled, wondering about the mysterious reaper Undertaker had been talking about. He exhaled slowly and wandered down the street.

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><p><strong>And there you have it, folks, another update! Thanks again for the kind reviews for the last chapter. I'm gonna ask for...7 reviews before updating again, tohught 5 would be nice too. So please send me your reviews and I'll try to update soon. <strong>


	3. The Hermit

**Oh, you all are so wonderful with your reviews! I couldn't resist updating again. But I'll probably take a break for a few days before posting another chapter so rapidly. Still, lucky number three.**

**Thank you all for your wonderful reviews, I really hope this fanfic won't disappoint. With that said, please enjoy the update!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sebastian or Ciel. Kuroshitsuji and all of its characters are property of Yana Toboso. Please support the original anime and manga. I only own the plot of this fanfiction.**

**The Tarot cards and their meanings of courtesy of the book "How to Read Tarot" by Liz Dean.**

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><p><em>The Hermit<em>

"Bocchan, welcome back." Sebastian was kneeling as Ciel opened the door to the townhouse. "I was beginning to worry. You took off without warning, is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine, Sebastian," Ciel replied tersely, removing his coat and hat. "I just had some personal business to attend to, nothing more. Please draw a bath for me, I'm tired."

"Will that be all, my lord?"

"Yes."

"Very good." And with that, he was gone. Ciel sighed and wandered to the bathroom, the steam coming off the hot water as he began to unbutton his shirt, tossing it aside along with his shoes, socks, and pants. He entered the bathroom and slipped into the hot water, sighing blissfully.

Sebastian washed him as he allowed his thoughts to trail off to his conversation with the Undertaker, closing his eyes slowly, Sebastian's fingers massaged suds into his hair and it only served to relax the young demon even more as he automatically tilted his head back into Sebastian's surprisingly soothing hands.

"You certainly appear tense, my lord," Sebastian pointed out as he felt his ever-serious lord drop his defenses for a change and allow himself to be soothed.

"It's just been a tiring trip…" Ciel murmured almost drowsily. Sebastian didn't say anything else, but Ciel sensed that he nodded in response to his answer and he chose to leave it at that.

"_Why do I even want to know what happened to my soul? I mean, if anything isn't it easier to just assume it's gone for good? If I somehow found it and let Sebastian eat it, that'd just end everything, wouldn't it?"_

Sebastian poured water him as that thought crossed Ciel's mind and he jerked in surprise. Sebastian's eyes widened ever-so-slightly at Ciel's response.

"My lord?"

"S-sorry," he said, running a hand through his sopping hair and shaking his head slowly. "That water just felt a little bit cold, is all." Sebastian furrowed his brows and looked at the bucket in his hands in confusion.

"Really? How strange…"

"It's fine, don't worry about it." He stood up and reached for the fleece before Sebastian could grab it and began to dry himself. "Thank you, Sebastian. I can finish preparing for bed on my own now. You may go."

"Yes, Bocchan." Sebastian bowed and left Ciel alone to his thoughts. He finished drying and changed into his nightgown, lying on top of the cool sheets on his bed, staring down at his bare feet, hard.

His body was still so small, despite three human years going by. Sebastian had explained that it would be a couple of decades before he would age into an adolescent. After a few decades, possibly centuries, he would be able to decide what form his human self would be – how old or young he would look, how thin or how tall.

He snorted as he looked around the room. Sebastian had been in his life for over five years now…the idea of being apart from him felt strange.

But…

"_Yes, my lord?" He turned around, smirking mischievously, his red eyes boring into Ciel's blue ones. "Let's save the games for later."_

* * *

><p><em>He stood at the top of the stairs, playing the beautiful melody on the violin. Mey-Rin and Baldo exclaimed in surprise and Grell ran to sing along with Sebastian's music. Ciel had offered his hand to Lizzie, leading her into a dance as Sebastian continued to play the music, his face in a content smile.<em>

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><p>"<em>Don't be a fool." Ciel reached for his thumb where he typically wore his ring and gasped slightly as he remembered that it was gone.<em>

"_Which of us is the fool?" Ciel shrugged as Sebastian knelt before him, taking Ciel's hand in his own gloved hands. "This is important to you, isn't it? And yet you showed off for Lady Elizabeth…"When he retracted his hands slightly, the blue diamond gleamed on Ciel's thumb proudly and he gasped. "A Phantomhive butler who can't do this much isn't worth his salt."_

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><p>"<em>Sebastian. Stay by me until I fall asleep."<em>

"_Oh my." Sebastian turned, still holding the burning candles with that typical smile on his face. "You would display weakness in front of me?"_

"_It's just an order." He saw the light cast upon his pillow as Sebastian knelt beside his bedside. _

"_I'll stay by you always, Bocchan. Until the end…"_

* * *

><p><em>He tossed the reports over his shoulder, the parchment fluttering around him dramatically as he placed a gloved hand before his chest. "With one word, I can become your pawn or your knight. Now, Bocchan, move me into check."<em>

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><p><em>He flinched slightly as he lay on the ground, his eyes squeezed shut before he realized he was unharmed and gasped, looking up to see Sebastian hunched over him, the wings of the angel statue on his back before they cracked and crumbled around him. Sebastian was leering down slightly, his expression slightly irked as the moonlight outlined his form. He leaned down, placing a hand on Ciel's waist and the other behind his head, pulling him closer and observing him carefully, probably to see if he was harmed.<em>

_Ciel, in a sudden surge of embarrassment, averted his gaze as Sebastian drew slightly closer and they both gasped as golden sparks suddenly rained around them form large, dragon statues that surrounded them. Ciel resisted the urge to snap at Lau for such an idiotic display and his comment on what a fetching picture he and Sebastian made. Instead, his eyes met with Sebastian's and he made the first snippy remark that came to mind. _

"_You're late."_

"_My apologies, my lord, I was preparing dinner."_

* * *

><p>Ciel shook his head as those old memories flooded his mind. The Sebastian from those days almost felt like a distant dream. That smile of his was completely gone…at least when Ciel was around it was. His eyes had lost their shine, their spark.<p>

"_It is because he did not get to consume my soul. I know it is…"_ Ciel thought acrimoniously, hugging his knees to his chest. _"If he got to eat my soul and be free of me, it'd probably make him happy…"_

Ciel fell back into the sheets and pillows, sighing as he stared up at the ceiling.

"Am I willing to go as far as to find my lost soul and free Sebastian, even if it means he shall leave my side forever?" he asked aloud before smirking a little. "I figured being a demon would rid me of my human hindrances such as doubt and hesitation. I suppose not."

He turned on his side and closed his eyes.

"I'm such a fool…caring so much about what a demon like him thinks of me. This is hardly like me at all," he grumbled, vexation filling his voice and churning in his stomach. What a pain…he was a demon and he _**still**_ dealt with pestering, human emotions like guilt and doubt.

"_I'll bet he's never felt guilty in his entire life as a demon! That bastard…and here I am, worrying about whether or not my existence is a curse to him. I shouldn't even care! I'm annoying myself with my stupid moping. For Hell's sake, I'm the son of the earl Phantomhive, not a little girl!"_

"_The hermit, a time to withdraw. You may need this time to look deeper within yourself to process what you have learned so far."_

"Tch, damn tarot reading. I knew going to that idiotic psychic was a waste of time." He rolled slightly, causing the blankets to tighten around his small form. Sleep slowly began to fill his head and his last thoughts were of his lost soul before he was gone.

As he slept, Sebastian crept into his young master's room to check on him. Hesitantly, he reached over and lightly touched his hair, a frown on his features. His young master's teal hair was soft, almost like down feathers. He noticed his bocchan's face was peaceful when he slept as he breathed in and out softly.

"Bocchan…I wonder what has been on your mind as of late…" he said, a little surprised he cared. After all, this was the brat he was chained to serve for all eternity. Yet…

Sebastian shook his head, retracting his hand from Ciel's head and left the room.

"A curse…that's all he is to me, a curse…" he mumbled to himself before walking down the hallway, the candles around him blowing out by an unseen force and casting the hall into darkness.

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><p>"Sebastian, I will be taking another trip alone." Sebastian paused and looked up at his young master in surprise, only to find him looking away from him, resting his cheek upon his hand.<p>

"Yes, my lord. May I inquire as to where my Bocchan is heading?"

"Do not worry about it. While I am gone, I expect you to keep the house in highest order. That is all." He stood up and walked out of the room, leaving Sebastian exceedingly puzzled. Lately, he hadn't been seeing much of his Bocchan around, and it felt…wrong, somehow.

Shaking it off, he retired to the study and began to work on his daily chores.

"At least I'll have some peace and quiet," Sebastian said to himself as he dusted the shelves, a frown still plastered on his lips. He could hear his young master's footsteps on the floor above him and imagined he was trying to find a suitable traveling ensemble.

The temptation to appear at his side and assist became nearly unbearable, if only for an instant, but Sebastian shook it off. His young master was perfectly capable of fending for himself in such trivial matters.

And yet…why did telling himself that make a spurt of nausea hit him out of nowhere?

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><p><strong>And that is where I shall end it. I apologize for the considerably shorter length and for the number of flashbacks, as well as Ciel's constant moping (he's gonna be more proactive from here-on, I promise!) BUT I did manage to squeeze some…affection, I suppose we'll call it, from Sebastian's end of the spectrum. <strong>

**So, hopefully that will make you guys happy. I'd love another 7 reviews, but if we can go up to 10, that would be extra fabulous! **


	4. Knight of Swords

**GEEZ! You guys are so awesome with reviewing, I can't help but want to update again. I was gonna wait until monday, but you all just forced my hand. Ok, I'm gonna try to stick to the idea of updating once a week from here on out, but with out wonderful all of your reviews have been, I feel like I'll end up updating faster.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sebastian or Ciel. Kuroshitsuji and all of its characters are property of Yana Toboso. Please support the original anime and manga. I only own the plot of this fanfiction.**

**The Tarot cards and their meanings of courtesy of the book "How to Read Tarot" by Liz Dean.**

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><p><em>Knight of Swords<em>

The moon rose overhead and all that could be heard on the outskirts of Paris were crickets in the field of grass and the rush of water from the river nearby. The former earl traipsed down the path, his eyes glowing supernaturally in the dim moonlight as his skin radiated with a luminescent glow.

He had been travelling for two days, entirely on foot. His demon strength allowed for him to easily travel such great distances without any fatigue and in very excellent time. He no longer needed food or drink for sustenance as he travelled, which only made things that much easier.

In his pocket was a large pouch of coins Sebastian had given to him for sleeping arrangements and he figured he may as well seek out an inn for the night. He could use some rest after so much travelling, even if he didn't actually feel any weariness. Guess it was just the comfort of familiarity.

The town slept in a blanket of darkness as he stepped onto the cobblestone street, his heels clicking on the stone with every step.

At last, he came to a small inn and the door tinkled as it opened. A man sat behind a counter, half asleep, and Ciel approached him.

"Hm? Hey, what are you doing here, kid? Where're your parents?"

"How much for one night?"

"Huh? What, by yourself?" Ciel rolled his eyes and put four coins on the counter, looking annoyed.

"That enough?"

"Whoa…these are silver!"

"Is that enough?"

"Heh, sure kid. Here." He handed Ciel a small, bronze key with the number 7 carved onto it. "Just up the stairs. Make yourself at home."

"Thanks." He took the key and walked up the stairs. The room was small with a bed and little else. He frowned and lay down, sighing a he turned his back from the window, closing his eyes.

"_If you look for him, you will not find him. If you call him, he'll find you."_

"Tch. Call him? I don't even know who I'm looking for?"

He sighed and rolled over.

"_I need to find the holder of lost souls, and see if he has mine. And I need to know…what would happen if I allowed Sebastian to eat that soul if I find it."_

"_The knight of swords; challenges on the horizon and obstacles to overcome."_

"No shit…" Ciel mumbled before sleep finally claimed him.

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><p>"Ahh, if it isn't the charming butler. I was wondering when you would be paying me a visit." Undertaker chuckled darkly as Sebastian sat in front of him, his face as cool as ever. "Oh my oh me, you seem…different, somehow. Your eyes have lost their sheen, I'm afraid. What's the matter, old friend, hmm? Go on, now, tell your uncle Undertaker all about it." Sebastian's eyebrow twitched ever-so-slightly in annoyance.<p>

"I have nothing much to say."

"Don't lie to a reaper as old as I. You know, your young master paid me a visit just a few days ago." Sebastian arched a brow and Undertaker appeared delighted at the reaction.

"I was not aware you had spoken to my Bocchan recently."

"Heh-heh, I'm not too surprised. He came to me seeking some knowledge that I was happy to provide."

"What kind of knowledge, Undertaker?"

"Oh…now who would I be to disclose such personal information to you? Of course…perhaps you can persuade me to pass on such knowledge to yourself? I believe you know what I'm talking about, my dear butler." Sebastian sighed and nodded.

"Yes, Undertaker."

"Well, go on, them. Give it to me…" Sebastian frowned. Outside the small building was still and silent for a few moments until Undertaker's howling laughter nearly made the world quake.

Undertaker collapsed into his chair, some drool running from the corner of his mouth as his body still trembled from some left over giggles. Sebastian crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for the reaper to calm down. At last, he straightened, his wide grin plastered on his face.

"Alright, I shall tell you what I know. Your young master came to me seeking information on souls."

"Souls?"

"_**Lost**_ souls, to be exact. He was enquiring about what became of his own soul after his metamorphosis."

"It no longer exists," Sebastian mumbled resentfully. Undertaker wagged his finger tauntingly, grinning wickedly.

"Ah, ah, do not be so quick to assume, my friend. After all, what do you truly understand about the special circumstances of that child? He has intrigued the interest of multiple beings, including angels and reapers as well as demons. That child is no ordinary creature. Tell me something, do you really believe a soul can disappear?"

"…"

"Mm-hmm. The prize you seek still exists in this world. And I have an inkling your young master seeks to find it. Why he wants to go through such trouble is beyond my comprehension." He sat back, chuckling darkly. "After all, if you get your claws into it, you will devour it and end that contract of yours, eh?"

"That is what I seek to do," Sebastian stated simply.

"Hmm…knowing that, he still seeks it? Why not simply break the contract if you both do not wish to stay chained to each other forever?"

"It is not that simple. When he was human, I could have ended it myself easily enough. But now that he is a demon, it far more complicated… The only way to end the contract other than me consuming his soul would be for him to die, making his soul unobtainable, but that no longer applies since he has changed. He ordered me to remain at his side until I consume his soul, and when he changed, the human soul was no longer available to me."

"Did you not think about that when he transformed? Since the contract is still in place, does that not mean his soul is still obtainable?"

"It was in the back of my mind, but I assumed his soul would be impossible to gain at this point anyway, so I was forced to accept my eternal curse."

"A curse you say?" Undertaker mused, stroking his chin with a smirk.

"An eternity bound to a stubborn, ignorant child as his slave? What else might you call that, Undertaker?" Sebastian spat, his eyes flashing and Undertaker shivered a little, snickering.

"Your false rage is so…amusing."

"_**False**_,Undertaker?"

"Never mind that. Regardless, I believe your young master is looking for a certain reaper who is known to collect lost souls. I am not sure where he can find this reaper, or if he even will find him. But he certainly seems keen on searching for his soul. Why he wants it so terribly is a mystery to me."

"Possibly to ensure I never find it," Sebastian stated simply. Undertaker chortled.

"If he wanted to do that, wouldn't it be easier to not even bothering hunting for it? Heh, perhaps your young master cares about you? Though, I wonder if he understands what may occur if you _**do**_ eat that lost soul…"

"What would happen?" Sebastian asked.

"Oh, I doubt you truly care, butler. After all, he is nothing but an eternal curse to you, isn't he?" Undertaker purred, raking one of his nails along his bottom lip as his smirk widened. Sebastian stiffened ever so slightly, his expression cold. "Eh-heh-heh. What's the matter, my friend? Cat got your tongue?"

"It's hardly polite to withhold information, Undertaker. Especially information that I paid for."

"Heh, well, alright. However, this next piece of information is more of a theory than actual fact. For you see, the soul is the essence of a being. If a soul ceases to exist, the being fades along with it into oblivion. This is why, when a demon devours a soul, that human is permanently eradicated. They are never reborn in a new life after existing in heaven or Hell. The soul becomes a part of the demon and is forgotten by all except the demon who consumed it."

"I am aware of all of this, Undertaker."

"I know you are, but I like to go into a bit of a prologue. Anyway, as I was saying, your young master is a demon now, but his human soul still exists somewhere. A soul holds the heart of the person – who they are, and so on. Without a soul, a body is just a hallow shell. A doll of sorts…which is why you kill your victims when you take their souls. That's actually an act of mercy, my dear friend." Sebastian frowned and Undertaker chuckled. "Well, imagine if that soul is what makes your young master the boy he is. His personality, his memories, his emotions; all exist because of that soul. Sure, he has a mind that controls some of these aspects, but if you devour that delicious little soul you crave, the boy will live…but will he be the same?"

Sebastian furrowed his brows as Undertaker's grin widened.

"Consider that idea…a demon doll. Void, empty, may as well be dead. Only exists, not actually alive. What a disgusting yet charming notion…" Undertaker rose and grinned at Sebastian. "Should that happen, feel free to bring that pretty little doll to me. I'd be happy to play with it." Sebastian stood and bowed slightly.

"Good day to you, Undertaker." And with that, he left him alone in the shop.

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><p>Ciel groaned in protest as the sunlight spread across his face and he opened his eyes slowly and sat up, stretching. He looked out the window, rubbing his eyes tiredly before getting up and dressing.<p>

His clothes still looked pressed, though they were a little wrinkled in a few areas. Smoothing the silk coat with one hand, Ciel felt his pocket for his coins before leaving the room and returning the key to the innkeeper.

"Good luck out there, kid," he said as Ciel walked out the door. He did not bother answering and walked out onto the bustling streets of Paris, everything a moving blur of colored silk, heavy velvet, carriages, and faceless people. Ciel dove into the sea of people, hidden in plain sight amongst the common people.

His gloves hid the rough, black nails, and his hair covered the covenant within his eye.

"_Now…where to begin hunting for that reaper?"_ he thought to himself, pursing his pink lips thoughtfully. _"I suppose he'll come out to play at night, but it can't hurt to look for any clues or help."_

Ciel vanished in the crowd and sought a place with a view, eventually deciding on a church tower.

"_How ironic…"_ He scaled the side and rested on a gargoyle ledge – perched to view the city from above. His eyes sought anyone or anything inhuman – the reddish hue bright. The city below made him reminiscent of those days before that damn brat and demon had interfered.

The angel of massacre, the rotting queen, the burning of London…

He shuddered slightly and focused his red eyes to the city below. Those days were so long ago, they felt like a distant dream instead of a memory. His humanity slipped farther and farther away with each passing day, and the idea almost saddened him.

His soul was the last piece of his humanity that remained in this world, and he could not help but wonder what would occur after he found it.

"_What will I do with it? It's not as if I have a use for my soul…"_ His lips tightened as he imagined Sebastian taking hold of it and devouring it, ending the contract. He could see the pleasure in those crimson eyes as the demon would abandon the child forever.

The mere thought made Ciel's stomach give a painful lurch. Sebastian being so delighted to just leave him alone…it honestly hurt him inside, though he could not comprehend why.

Gasping slightly as he attempted to calm himself, Ciel hugged himself as his eyes squeezed shut.

"_The knight of swords; challenges on the horizon and obstacles to overcome. These challenges are not merely physical. They are emotionally enduring, but you must fight through and not allow your own selfish motives to cloud your judgment into doing what is correct."_

"_Doing what is correct?"_

"_Tell me, young demon, who is the one most important to you. Who do you care for the most?"_

"_What a ridiculous notion! A demon caring for someone other than himself…preposterous." The ghostly lips formed a wide smirk._

"_Are you speaking of yourself, I wonder?"_

Silent tears began to fall down the boy's cheeks and he made a sound of disgust at himself, but the tears did not cease. He knew now that the person he had been speaking of was not himself, but, rather, his butler. The man that Ciel had been too afraid to confess as the one he cared for the most.

He shuddered and opened his eyes slowly, the whistling of the wind his only source for comfort as he gripped the head of the gargoyle, leaning forward slightly so he could view the crowds.

Grim reapers looked the same as regular humans, but Ciel had learned from Grell and Undertaker that they smelled completely different – even if they were soaked in human scents like perfume or blood. The scent of the crowd reached his nose and he waited to pick out the strange, divine scent of a reaper.

He remained upon the perch, eyeing the oblivious mobs below, all of their scents identical and disappointing. The sun hung low in the sky and he remained stoic upon the gargoyle, hoping his reaper would come out to play once the moon raised to joins its friends, the stars.

The moon soon hung in the sky with the diamonds known as stars. Ciel exhaled slowly, wondering if he would ever find the reaper he sought. He remained perched upon the gargoyle well into the night. At last, the streets emptied except for the occasional drunk or prostitute. Ciel sighed, noting the sun was beginning to rise again. He leapt down from the church, his bones clicking from being held in the same place for so many hours.

"I suppose I'll try again tomorrow…" He decided to duck into another inn and paid the innkeeper three coins before stripping his clothes entirely and falling into the cool sheets. He clutched the pillow with a sigh. "What the hell am I even doing here?"

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><p>Four days passed and Ciel was growing more and more frustrated. He had taken to perching on various buildings each night, trying to scout out the scent of the elusive reaper. But, as I'm sure you can imagine, no such luck.<p>

"_He's probably not even in Paris! How the hell am I supposed to call this blasted reaper anyway? I'm just wasting my time. Maybe I should abandon this foolish venture all-together."_

Suddenly, a cold wind caught his attention and carried a scent on it that made his eyes turn red as he leered down at the dissipating crowds of humans. Wafting from them like smoke came that unmistakable scent.

He quickly leapt down from the church tower he had chosen for the night; using the perches and gargoyles to climb and he ran after the scent, silently thanking the wind for alerting him.

Though he could not make out the source, the odor continued to taunt his heightened sense as he continued to race through the humans, never losing "sight" on the smell. He raced through the streets and alleys until he finally came to an old, run-down house in a small neighborhood somewhere in the slums of the city. His nose wrinkled slightly, the scent stronger than ever.

A sign was in the window reading "open" and was grimy and rotting. Ciel exhaled and straightened, entering the small house. His footsteps echoed on the old wood of the floor and everything was old and dying, but kept as neat and tidy as possible. Furniture was scattered in a rather helter-skelter fashion with books and parchment scattered everywhere. The curtains were ripped and fading, the wooden furniture was grimy and rotten but polished in the areas that were still good. Various figurines and glasswork were broken and cracked, but dusted.

"Ehehehe, company? After all these years? Ooh, and a demon, nonetheless. Ehehehe." A face came dangling down from the ceiling, inches from Ciel's and he leapt back, startled. His eyes glowed red and he bared his fangs and black claws. "Now now, no need for that."

The man flipped down, landing gracefully on his feet. He was tall and slender with black hair, pulled back into a ponytail and yellow-green eyes that were covered by a pair of black-rimmed spectacles. His clothes were plain and worn but well pressed. He was certainly a man of oxymorons, as far as Ciel could tell.

"Might I have the knowledge of whom I am addressing?" Ciel asked simply.

"Ah, I am a reaper of lost souls; the conqueror of wandering spirits, Jasper is the name, Earl Phantomhive." Ciel gasped as Jasper bowed to him, a smirk on his lips.

"How do you-"

"I am quite the reaper, as I'm sure you can see. And you've come seeking your lost soul, haven't you?"

"Have you found it?" Ciel demanded, frowning. Jasper snickered, stroking his chin.

"Perhaps…"

"What do you want in exchange for my lost soul?" Ciel asked. "And do not play games, for I am far from a patient demon." Jasper threw his head back and laughed.

"Oh, I think I like you, Ciel Phantomhive. Yes, I think I like you a great deal. But relax a bit, keep me company before I answer your questions. Do you care for tea? I know most demons don't, but you are an exceptional case, aren't you?" Ciel grew annoyed, but decided to play along and sat at the (ugh) chair that Jasper pointed out to him, and Ciel was amazed the ancient thing didn't collapse under his weight.

Jasper returned with a cracked pot of steaming…tea? Ciel sniffed at the cup of brown liquid and resisted the urge to pull a face, taking a sip of it. He was suddenly quite grateful for his inability to actually know what this liquid tasted like, for he feared it would be enough to kill a normal man.

"So how have the years been treating you, earl?"

"…" Jasper tilted his head to the side.

"Strong silent type, are you?"

"To be quite frank, I really don't enjoying wasting time."

"Why not? You're a demon, you have more than enough time to spare! Keep in mind you're not a human running on a timer any longer, Ciel Phantomhive. You can indulge in some leisure as often as you like."

"I was not raised for leisure, reaper. I was raised to calculate and execute my goals as quickly and efficiently as possible."

"Well, hate to break it to you, earl, but a demon doesn't have a need for goals aside from capturing and consuming the souls of humans. Otherwise, you just have time to waste and waste." Ciel frowned as Jasper chuckled and stood up.

His frown deepened and he watched the reaper warily as he moved to the other end of the room to a cabinet that had intricate designs printed on it. "Come over here, my boy." Ciel stiffened slightly but decided to obey and approached the cabinet stiffly after setting the liquid Jasper claimed was tea back down.

Jasper threw open the doors and Ciel's eyes widened slightly.

"This is…"

"Heh, yes indeed, Ciel Phantomhive." Inside the cabinet were hundreds of silver chains with glowing stones on the bottom, each unique in color and brightness. "These are only some of the lost souls I've collected. You see, souls are almost impossible to see, especially for human eyes. They are also exceedingly difficult to catch without the right tools.

"The chains and crystals I use to trap the souls prevent them from escaping unless broken. If the crystal breaks, a soul will be motionless for no more than a minute before escaping like smoke."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I thought you'd find it interesting. In case you wish to give your soul as a present to someone." Jasper smirked, pushing Ciel's bangs aside to reveal the covenant with his nail and Ciel backed away from the intrusive touch.

"Don't touch me so easily!" Jasper cocked his head to the side slightly, a most infuriating grin decorating his features.

"My apologies, 'earl.'" Ciel narrowed his eyes at the reaper, his patience growing thinner and thinner with each passing moment. He took a moment to remind himself why he was there and to not lose control before getting what he came there for.

"What do you want for my lost soul?" Ciel demanded, frowning. Jasper cast his eyes upward, tapping a finger against his lower lip in mock thought.

"Hmm…well then, let's see. I will provide you with three different tasks. Succeed in all three and the soul is yours. Sound like a fun game?"

"Very well." Ciel smirked. "But you ought to know, I am a master at games." Jasper clapped his hands giddily.

"Oooh, then this shall be fun."

"So, what is the first task, Jasper?" Ciel asked, arching a brow.

"Well, my dear friend, I've been having a harder time catching lost souls as of late because I am running out of the crystals I use to store them. Yours was the last soul I was able to capture, actually. So, the first task is to gather me the three main ingredients I use to create the crystals that trap the souls."

"What are the three ingredients?"

"Amber, moonstone, and quartz. You must collect ample quantities of each of these ingredients. There are mines that contain these gems around Europe."

"Seems simple enough."

"Ah, but things are rarely as simple as they seem. You see, these seemingly common materials have to have certain qualities that sets them apart from their sister counterparts. The moonstones I need are clear and radiate silver energy during the crescent moon. The quartz I need will be shaped like a perfect arrow point and will be no larger than a grain of rice. Anything larger is useless to me. And the amber can only be found in the trees of the great Schwarzwald in Germany."

"Hmph. But forget not, I am a demon, and a very determined one at that. I shall collect your ingredients."

"Excellent. I've been itching to go collect some lovely lost souls again, so please make haste! My collection yearns to grow." Ciel nodded and was gone within a moment. Jasper smirked and leaned back in his chair. "Ah, Ciel Phantomhive. So determined to seal your own demise…what shall happen next, I wonder?"

* * *

><p><strong>And so ends this chapter. Ladies and gentlemen, let us welcome the plot device, JASPER! Yeah, I was originally gonna try and use a reaper from the series, but I thought it would be much more fun to make one up. I think we'll have some fun with Jasper.<strong>

**So, please review and I shall update again soon! Probably in a week, unless I get 10 reviews in the next few days. I hope you all are enjoying the fic so far. ^^**


	5. The Magician

**Damn it guys! I told you ten reviews in couple of days, IT'S BEEN ONE DAY! I have no choice but to update when you do that! (and by the way, all the reviews are wonderful. You all are so sweet, I'm very happy to update.) So, as a woman of my word, I bring to you a wonderful new addition to the fanfic. (btw, if you all are wondering how I'm updating so quickly, I have pre-written this fic and edited the hell out of it before actually submitting it. So, yeah.)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sebastian or Ciel. Kuroshitsuji and all of its characters are property of Yana Toboso. Please support the original anime and manga. I only own the plot of this fanfiction.**

**The Tarot cards and their meanings of courtesy of the book "How to Read Tarot" by Liz Dean.**

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><p><em>The Magician<em>

The silence rang around him like a bell. He felt like he was floating in a dark mist. It was cold and eerie, yet oddly calming and beautiful. His eyes were closed as he allowed his body to relax in the oblivion, not questioning where he was or why.

"_Sebastian…"_

The sweet voice was like a net, entrapping the demon as he opened his eyes,

"Bocchan?"

The child was there, smiling down at the wretched demon, his arms outstretched towards him. His slim waist was naked and he wore a white cloth draped around his lithe hips. White wings sprouted from his back and he truly was an angelic vision. Sebastian could not fight the temptation to reach up for him. His smile was so inviting… How strange for a demon to find an angelic vision so tempting.

His fingers brushed the child's face, sinking into the teal locks as the other arm found its way around the slender waist, tugging the boy closer to him. The tiny frame against his was soft and warm, like a newborn kitten.

"Sebastian…"

"What is it, Bocchan?" He pulled back and opened his eyes, revealing two crimson orbs that watched the demon emotionlessly while Sebastian's own eyes widened in shock. "Do you only like me when I'm human? Do you hate me now?" he asked, his expression growing pained.

"Boccha-"

"I don't have a soul anymore and you hate me now, Sebastian!" Ciel cried, pushing back from him. "It's not even my fault and you blame me for it!"

"I don't-"

"Liar!" he shrilled in a voice that was no longer Ciel's. His wings flinched and the feathers began to fall away to reveal large, rotting bat wings as the cloth became dark and worn with holes burnt in it. Ciel grew black claws and began to rip at his face, baring his fangs in a maniacal smirk. "Destroying me will make Sebastian happy, yesssss?" he hissed, the voice reverberating sounding like a mix between Claude, Ash, Alois, and Ciel all at once. Blood began to spurt from the great gashes on the side of his face and Ciel began to claw at his right eye and Sebastian felt the contract on his hand burn viciously.

He hissed and gripped his right hand, tearing a glove away. The black contract throbbed and pulsed before blood began to seep around the edges. Ciel ripped out the eye, squeezing it in his hand and causing blood and gore to dribble down his hands and fall away into nothingness.

"This body can rot, this body can burn, this boy can die and free the wretched beast that he hath contracted for eternal servitude," the voices chanted. He could hear Ash, Angela, Hannah, Alois, Claude, Undertaker, Madame Red, Grell, and multiple other voices. All but Ciel's began chanting in a strange language that was harsh and poisonous to the demon's ears.

"Young master, stop this!" he shouted, grabbing the child's boney shoulders. The voices stopped as did Ciel's claws. The boy was completely silent as the blood continued to run down his face, staining the child's neck and chest and creating a sight that was disgustingly beautiful. Ciel cast his gaze up slowly to Sebastian. The right socket was gouged and bleeding, his hair sticking to the mess to help hide it and the left eye was a dull red.

"I want…" he whispered slowly and Sebastian felt his grip tighten unconsciously as he silently urged the demon child to speak. "I want Sebastian…to stop hating me…even if I have to die." Sebastian's eyes widened as Ciel's eye closed slowly and he fell back limply, his body beginning to rot in Sebastian's hands. The porcelain flesh began to turn into a mottled, reddish brown while the blood blackened and hardened. More black blood flowed from his mouth, coating the decayed flesh in an oily mess.

The voices began again, singing the familiar creepy tune.

"_Ciel Phantomhive is falling down, _

_falling down,_

_falling down. _

_Ciel Phantomhive is falling down,_

_my fair demon."_

Sebastian dropped the rotting corpse in horror and could _**feel**_ the voices taunting him as that wretched song continued to echo around him, filling the abyss.

"ENOUGH!"

His eyes flew open and he was in the parlor of the town house, sweat on his forehead as he gasped slightly. His chest heaved slightly as he ran a gloved hand through his hair.

Three days…

"Damn it!" Sebastian snarled, his eyes glowing pink. "Perhaps I need to ingest a fresh soul to get these ridiculous visions to cease." He stood up and walked out of the house to hunt, his eyes burning with hunger and power as he walked outside into the night air.

"_These blasted visions have been occurring rather frequently as of late. And they all involve the young master's death in some way. This was the worst one yet…"_

Sebastian's brows furrowed as he thought back to Undertaker's words.

"_Without a soul, a body is just a hallow shell. A doll of sorts… Consider that idea…a demon doll. Void, empty, may as well be dead. Only exists, not actually alive. What a disgusting yet charming notion."_

Sebastian paused for a moment, closing his eyes briefly. He remembered falling into the water with Ciel in his arms after Hannah had revealed the terms of her contract with Alois. He remembered Ciel opening his eyes and seeing their reddish hue before he punched through the boy's stomach in a fit of rage at the loss of his prize, blood floating around them in beautiful and sickening patterns.

Ciel's response to the attempt at killing him had been amused, if anything else. He'd bluntly told Sebastian to accept his new fate and showed no remorse for trapping the demon into servitude for the remainder of his immortal life. The child was his curse forever, and he'd made a point to tell him that.

Yet…

Recently, the boy had been acting strangely. Sebastian sensed a disturbance in him but could not place what it was. He'd been avoiding his butler recently and had even gone on long trips on his own, which did have the demon more worried than he cared to admit. And the conversation with Undertaker only left him more perplexed.

He was inquiring about his own soul…when he knew that if he was somehow able to find that soul, he would only serve to end his contract. Sebastian stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"_Perhaps Bocchan has grown tired of me…" _he thought sardonically. Although, the concept didn't strike him as too unusual. He admitted he had not acted the same since his master's transformation, and perhaps that bored the child. It wasn't too peculiar.

But, somehow, the idea of Ciel growing tired of Sebastian creating a bubbling sense of resentment deep within the pits of his stomach, and he could not begin to fathom why. Wasn't this what he desired? For Ciel to tire of him and try to find a way out of their contract so they could go their separate ways? Is that not why he became an emotionless doll of himself in front of the boy?

He watched a drunken whore stagger into an alley and could sense her soul. Easy prey…

Following the woman, he came upon her limp form as her eyes watched him in a daze. Half-formed words were mumbled from her pale lips and her eyes remained half-lidded as she set the half-empty bottle next to her hip.

"This should not hurt too much," Sebastian purred, taking her chin in his hand as his eyes turned pink and he bared his fangs. She showed a slight register of fear before he leaned down, slashing her throat with a claw and savoring the soul that seeped from her lips.

It was fairly bitter but had a lovely, spicy aftertaste that Sebastian found satisfying.

Her body collapsed into a pile of blood and spilled liquor and Sebastian wiped his mouth, leering down at the woman. He felt satiated now and he turned, exiting the alley and walking back towards the temporary home. Snow rained down around him and his breath formed little puffs in the cold air.

As he entered the house, his thoughts flew back to Ciel and he clenched his fist.

"Damn it…"

* * *

><p>"Here." He dropped the red velvet bag on the table and the stones fell out. "I brought you all of the ingredients you asked for."<p>

"And in two days too. Impressive, Ciel Phantomhive." Jasper grinned excitedly as he pulled out a moonstone and held it up, admiring the silver glow. He took out the bottle of quartz and shook it experimentally, smiling at the rattling sound inside. The amber was wrapped in cloth and glittered in the faint candlelight. "Ah, perfect. Simply marvelous!"

"What is the second task?"

"You certainly are impatient, aren't you?" he asked with a chuckle.

"You know how children can be."

"Yes, yes. Alright. The next task would be for you to make new crystals for me."

"And how exactly am I supposed to do that?"

"Part of the challenge is for you to figure it out on your own. You're welcome to look through my collection for example. But be warned, if you break any of my crystals, you can forget ever seeing your soul again."

"Fine," Ciel said icily, looking at the materials on the table and furrowing his brow as Jasper disappeared from the room with a chuckle.

Ciel picked up a moonstone and dumped out a shard of quarts into his palm. He laid he two objects next to a piece of amber and waited for something to occur. But naturally the three objects remained motionless on the table. The only thing unusual about them was the silver energy radiating from the moonstone.

"Damn it…" Ciel growled, turning and going to the cabinet where the other crystals were held. He chose a red crystal and held it up, trying to understand what it was and how to replicate it. He noticed the crystal itself did not look like the moonstone or amber and he could make out something in the heart of the crystal and he assumed that to be the piece of quartz.

Alright, so he needed to somehow get the quartz in the heart of the crystal, but where do the moonstone and amber fit in?

Growling, Ciel put the stone away and glared at the scattered ingredients on the table. He collapsed into a chair, massaging at his temples in frustration. For a brief moment, he considered giving up on this ridiculous task before his chiding inner voice scolded him.

A Phantomhive never gives up on any task!

"_The magician. You have all the ingredients for success at your disposal, even if your goals seem out of reach."_

He frowned again.

"_I need to think about all of the ingredients and their properties. But these ingredients all have something special that sets them apart from generic forms of the same material. So, perhaps I should look into what is so special about these particular ingredients."_

Ciel looked around the room for any sources of information and finally noticed a black leather book on a dusty shelf in the corner. He reached for it and brushed at the cover, looking at it curiously. He flipped open the pages and noticed there were various facts about souls written inside.

"These reapers have strange tastes in literature," Ciel mumbled and continued to flip until he came upon a page that read "Preserving and storing captures souls." "Here we go!"

_Souls are categorized in two major groups. There are souls captured by reapers from those on the 'to-die' list that are stored in the reaper's library until judgment is passed upon the fate of the soul. Then there are souls that are considered "lost" because they are not captured by reapers. These souls are the most difficult to catch because they wander freely and randomly, making them near impossible to capture._

_The only way to catch a lost soul is through the tools of a reaper and with special containment devices. A reaper must use their scythe to temporarily immobilize the soul and then absorb it into a containment device._

_There are a few different objects that can contain lost souls successfully._

Ciel skimmed forward until the words _"moonstone", "quartz", _and _"amber"_ appeared in the text.

_Crystalline devices are the most aesthetically pleasing devices to house a lost soul. However, the ingredients are the most difficult to collect and synthesize properly. Each crystal requires a gram of moonstone, a shard of quartz no larger than a splinter, and two grams of amber. _

_The amber must have a melting property and the quartz is to be embedded in the amber as it is melting. The moonstone must have an incision large enough to pour the amber and quartz inside and the crystal will require several hours to set. _

_Chains may be added to the crystal to make transporting more efficient, but it is not required._

"I need to melt the amber," Ciel said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. He picked it up and tapped on the mineral with his nail, frowning. "Well, how shall I go about doing this, then?" He stared before smirking as his eyes glowed pink and he held the amber in his hands, watching it melt.

* * *

><p>"Jasper!"<p>

"Oh, has my little demon friend completed my task?" Jasper asked with a lively chuckle as he entered the room. Ciel gestured to the table, smirking.

"See for yourself." Jasper looked and gasped, running over to the table and slamming his palms down, leaning forward with interest.

"Wow! Twelve new crystals for me to capture souls with!"

"Yes. That better satisfy you."

"Oh, it certainly does, little Phantomhive." Ciel twitched at the word "little." "Now I can go and capture more beauties for my collection! Ahh, how splendid indeed!" Jasper purred, stroking one of the crystals in his palm.

"Well then, you have your crystals, now tell me my final task in order for me to get my soul back," Ciel sighed.

"Oh, what's your hurry? Why not have a cup of tea and rest for the night?" Ciel glared and Jasper chuckled. "An impatient one, alright."

He raised his arms and three cabinets lurched forward and surrounded Ciel, their doors bursting open to reveal hundreds of crystals, each glowing with a unique color.

"Your final task is to distinguish which crystal contains your soul." Ciel furrowed his brows and Jasper chuckled. "You get one try, so choose carefully. If you manage to distinguish which crystal contains your soul, it is yours to keep and do with as you please."

"Very well." Ciel looked at the surrounding crystals, frowning. _"Which of these is my lost soul?"_

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><p><strong>And thus, my reputation as the cliffhanging queen resumes! I do understand the tasks were quick, but to be frank, this fic is not meant to be drawn out with pointless filler and fluff. I am trying to get to the point while giving it substance, so I hope that's working out in the story's favor.<strong>

**Now, this time, I think I will wait a few more days to update, but we'll see. So, please keep on reviewing, the kind words make me smile and inspire me to update quickly. **

**Oh, and PS: I love that dream sequence. I really do.**


	6. The Moon

**You all are so wonderful about reviewing, how can I not update again? I hope you all enjoy the update. There might be a few moments you all will really enjoy (or so I hope.)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sebastian or Ciel. Kuroshitsuji and all of its characters are property of Yana Toboso. Please support the original anime and manga. I only own the plot of this fanfiction.**

**The Tarot cards and their meanings of courtesy of the book "How to Read Tarot" by Liz Dean.**

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><p><em>The Moon<em>

Reds, blues, greens, yellows, grays, purples, pinks, oranges, browns, golds, silvers, even black and white somehow splashed all the crystals. Ciel narrowed his eyes slightly as he attempted to distinguish his from all of these other crystals.

"_What color would my soul even be?"_

He closed his eyes, trying to tap into his demon senses to prevent distraction from his sight. How would Sebastian have described the essence of his soul? He claimed the soul he harbored was pure, but what does that even mean?

Ciel had been tainted by darkness his entire life! How did that make his soul even remotely pure? He had lusted for revenge, killed without remorse, refused the faith…how did Sebastian consider that soul pure and so delectable?

Even now, as a demon, he failed to understand what had drawn Sebastian to his soul. Well, he was going to have to try and have some inkling or what it was; otherwise he had come to this reaper for nothing. This blasted reaper…

Jasper chuckled as Ciel grew frustrated and stroked his chin malevolently. "What's the matter, little demon? Is this task too difficult for the great Phantomhive?"

"Silence reaper!" Ciel hissed. But as much as he hated to admit it, he truly was stumped. He had never sensed the essence of his soul before, and all of these different crystals…he just had no idea which one was his. He wished Sebastian could tell him…

Wait! Perhaps…if he willed it, maybe he could somehow get Sebastian's help in detecting his soul. Maybe…I don't know. It sounded crazy, but perhaps their bond would allow Sebastian to sense the prize he craved so passionately. Maybe he would get an idea as to which soul tempted his demon butler so heavily.

"It's worth a try…" Ciel mumbled, closing his eyes and silently willing Sebastian to sense the human energy around him and detect what belonged to him.

"_Sebastian."_

"_Sebastian."_

"_Sebastian!"_

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><p>Sebastian wandered the deserted streets aimlessly, his eyes glowing viciously through the darkness and his claws elongated as he prowled, hunting for more souls. Was it out of hunger? He was not certain. Sebastian felt he may simply be indulging in gluttony, but that was just a cover. He did not wish to face the sad and irritating truth.<p>

The ugly truth rearing its nasty head in the back of Sebastian's mind was simply that he missed his young master and yearned for his return and he was now taking it out by consuming human souls in hopes of pacifying his restless mind. Unfortunately, despite the numerous souls he'd consumed in the span of a few days, he felt just as restless as before, if not more so.

"Damn it…" he growled, leering at his claws which refused to shorten. The more his frustration grew, the more difficult it was to inhibit his true form from taking hold of him.

He looked around, smelling the air and detecting a human nearby. He stalked the scent and found the source exiting a shop and locking the door while whistling a cheerful tune. Sebastian's lips twitched into a smirk, baring his fangs as he approached the man.

The sound of footsteps alerted him of his presence.

"Sorry pal, we're clos-" he began before turning and becoming immobilized by glowing, red eyes with a pink hue. "Jesus, w-what _are_ you?" he cried, pressing back up against the door as Sebastian cornered his helpless prey, chuckling darkly.

"I am your maker, good sir." He snarled and slashed the man's throat, causing him to make a choked, gurgling sound as his blood sprayed to coat Sebastian and the cobblestone road. The corpse sank down against the door, the blank eyes wide and the jaw dropped, blood running from the corner of the lips.

Sebastian smirked and leaned forward, sampling the soul that seeped out of the man. It was pretty bland, but had a slight sweetness to it.

He sighed a little and stepped back, looking at himself. The claws had shortened slightly, but they were still longer than usual.

"Oh dear…I've stained this coat now. I'd best take care of that," Sebastian sighed, fingering his tailcoat with a slightly disgusted expression on his face. In that moment, he felt less frustration and was able to walk to the townhouse to wash his clothing without any problems.

However, no sooner had he removed the coat, he felt a pulsing from within his contract and paused as the tingling sensation he felt. Suddenly, a bittersweet, exotic aroma seemed to fill the room and made his mouth water with its enticing scent. What was it? It was so familiar…

His eyes widened as the scent toyed with his senses.

"Bocchan's soul…" he said quietly, looking around the room to try and understand where this tantalizing soul was hiding. However, he only sensed the smell. Any other indicator of the soul was not apparent to him, leading him to believe it was not there at all.

"_Sebastian!"_

"Bocchan?" he called, looking around the room. He was certain he'd heard the voice of his young master, but the boy was nowhere around him. He could not see him, smell him, nothing. Furrowing his brows, Sebastian pondered if he was finally slipping into insanity. He wasn't even entirely sure how a demon loses their mind in instances aside from extreme hunger or rage or lust.

Pursing his lips, he sat down. That scent was still lingering in the room, but it had no source. It was just an odor hanging in the air, which was incredibly odd.

"_Sebastian…I need your help!"_

"Young master?" Sebastian asked. He stared at the throbbing contract on his hand and closed his eyes. He could almost envision blurs of color forming all around him, each giving off various scents that were somewhat intoxicating.

"_Human souls…"_

"_Sebastian! Mine…I need mine…I command you…point out my soul to me!"_

Sebastian smirked at the blatant order of his young master and was able to get over the absurdity of the situation. He smelled the air, seeking out that wonderful, enticing scent that belonged to his master. That sweet soul… His long sought-after prize…

The most radiant blue captured his attention and all of the other souls seemed dull in comparison. It was a vivid azure with silver mixed in that swirled in an almost smoky mist, and the scent it gave off was intoxicating. Sebastian recognized the delicious soul instantly, almost able to taste the ripe spirit.

"That one, my lord…" he whispered slowly, his red eyes half-lidded with specks of pink as he admired his prize for a little longer. He lifted his hand and closed it around that beautiful azure.

All at once, it was gone and his contract no longer throbbed. Sebastian collapsed onto the couch and covered his face with one hand before his body shook with muffled laughter.

"Ah…my young master never ceases to amaze me…" he purred. "He's found his lost soul and was able to summon my help without my actual being there. Oh, yes…he truly manages to exceed my expectations each and every time."

He smirked as he straightened, his expression dark.

"What will you do now, Bocchan? What will you do now, I wonder…"

* * *

><p>Ciel's hand darted out and grabbed the cold stone. He gasped and opened his eyes, looking at the brilliant, blue stone in his fist.<p>

"This is it…" he whispered.

"Aw, you actually got it right? You're no fun!" Jasper pouted, crossing his arms over his chest as the cabinets all slid away to their original positions, the dust heavy in the air. Ciel smirked and dangled the necklace up to the light, admiring the smoky jewel.

"So this is my soul…" he said. Jasper sighed.

"Yeah, yeah, that's it, all right. So you can go ahead and be on your merry way with it," he snapped, sitting down and making a shooing motion before picking up and empty stone and tapping on it with his nail. Ciel stood in place, staring at it.

"So…I can give this to Sebastian and end my contract with him…" he said, mostly to himself. Jasper paused and looked up at the boy. The expression on his face was unreadable. There was sadness, happiness, relief, fear…

"You sure you want to do that, kid?" he asked, sitting back and giving Ciel a sideways glance before patting the seat next to him. "Sit down." Ciel hesitated but eventually sat in the chair as Jasper reached into his coat and pulled out a cigar, offering Ciel one.

"Thanks, but I don't smoke."

"Suit yourself," he said with a shrug before lighting the cigar and puffing on it thoughtfully. Ciel had never actually seen a reaper smoke before, and somehow the sight of it struck him as absurd. "Ya know, souls are a funny thing. Ciel Phantomhive. They contain a human's…well, everything, pretty much. Their memories, their heart, their feelings…"

"So? I'm a demon now, what does any of that matter?" Ciel asked impatiently and Jasper chuckled tauntingly.

"You really don't get it, do ya, kid? See, I've been around for a while, collecting souls that were lost to angels and demons and reapers. I've come to collect some rare gems, but yours was the rarest. The soul of a human turned demon, there ain't no other like it in the world as far as I'm aware of. If there is, it'd be a damn hard catch." He puffed on his cigar again and exhaled. "Nice thing about being a reaper, cigars don't hurt you." Ciel frowned, quickly growing intolerant.

"Will you please get to the point?"

"Impatient one, aren't you? Alright. Because of this rarity in your soul, it leaves me to wonder what would happen if your demon were to consume it. People can survive without souls, but are they really alive anymore?" Jasper asked and Ciel paused.

"But I've been alive without my soul."

"That's true, but your soul was still in this realm. It was not stored in the Reaper's Library or judged for heaven or hell. No…because it still existed in the same world as you, one may make the argument that you are still who you are because of that. Your humanity and memories are tied to that little crystal in your hand."

"What are you implying?"

"If your demon eats your soul…will you be the same boy you are now? Will your memory, your heart, your personality…will it all fade away with your soul, I wonder?" Ciel felt a chill run down his spine at the thought.

"I…I'll be a doll…" he said, his eyes widening slightly as the image came to his mind of his body moving lifelessly and Sebastian laughing tauntingly at him. The image alone was enough to make him sick. Jasper grinned.

"Smarter than you look. Yes, that's pretty much the gist of it. If you let your little demon eat up the contents of that stone, you will be nothing but a demon doll. Alive, but not really living. You won't feel, you'll just exist. Heh, hardly a life, if you ask me. But in the end, it's your decision to make."

"My decision…"

"_The Moon. You are doubting your position and must look to your intuition for the solution. Everything looks different under the light of the moon, which indicates a need to discover your inner longings and needs rather than accept surface value. The risk may take you away from familiar surroundings, but your decision must be made alone, Ciel Phantomhive."_

"I must make it alone…" he whispered, suddenly feeling very cold and sick inside.

"What's that?" Jasper asked, looking at the demon child curiously. Ciel blinked and looked up.

"…nothing…" He stood up. "Thank you for your time and information, but I'm afraid I must be going now." Jasper smirked almost knowingly at the demon child and leaned against the chair, puffing on his cigar once again.

"I do hope we meet again sometime, Ciel Phantomhive. You're quite an interesting specimen." Ciel frowned and walked out without a word while Jasper cackled, stroking his chin. "Most interesting indeed…did you enjoy the show, Undertaker?"

"Ehehehe, how did you know I was here, Jasper?"

"You're pretty hard to miss, brother." Undertaker crept out of the shadows, cackling. "You were right, that boy certainly is something."

"I told you, didn't I? Yes, the little Phantomhive always serves to amuse me. He is quite the child indeed he is." Undertaker cackled again.

"So how do you think all of this will end?" Jasper asked.

"It's not that hard, he'll clearly give his soul to his butler."

"Oh? And how can you be so sure?"

"I am old enough to know that love is a foolish thing and leads to foolish decisions, even at the sacrifice of one's own well-being."

"A foolish thing indeed, my brother."

* * *

><p>…<strong>I don't think I have anything exciting to say, actually. But there you all go. Hope you liked it, please review, I will update soon.<strong>


	7. Nine of Swords

**I'm happy that I'm almost odne with all of my Christmas shopping...SO ANOTHER CHAPTER! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sebastian or Ciel. Kuroshitsuji and all of its characters are property of Yana Toboso. Please support the original anime and manga. I only own the plot of this fanfiction.**

**The Tarot cards and their meanings of courtesy of the book "How to Read Tarot" by Liz Dean.**

* * *

><p><em>Nine of Swords<em>

He trudged down the path, the stone dangling from his palm as he continued to move into the night without really focusing on where he was going. He needed to think…he needed to understand what to do in this situation.

He had it! What he'd been searching for; his soul. The payment he owed Sebastian for all he'd given to him. It was like what he'd told that stupid brat, Prince Soma, all those years ago. You have to think about what a master owes his butler for all he's done.

Sebastian had given Ciel everything, everything he could have ever asked for. He never complained or argued…he had truly been the perfect butler. Although Ciel's pride refused to let him admit it, he felt guilty for the current circumstances, even though it was forces beyond his control that had actually caused them.

But…

Deep down, he kept hoping he could stay at his butler's side forever.

And once his soul was devoured, Sebastian would no longer remain by him and he would be alone for all eternity. He was now an immortal fiend who was destined to thrive in fire and feast upon the weakness in human misery and darkness.

However, the words of Jasper were rubbing him in the wrong way.

"_If you let your little demon eat up the contents of that stone, you will be nothing but a demon doll. Alive, but not really living. You won't feel, you'll just exist. Heh, hardly a life, if you ask me."_

"There's no guarantee that will happen…but what will I do if it does?" he asked aloud, looking up to the sky. "I won't have any sense of self…who I was, the people I knew…all will be gone."

He continued down the path until the dim lights of Florence greeted him. Sighing, Ciel descended down the hill into the town, tucking the gem into his pocket before sauntering to the country house where the ravenous demon undoubtedly awaited his return.

Sighing a little, he closed his eyes as he reached for the handle before opening the door, expecting to be pounced on by Sebastian and having the soul ripped from his jacket and consumed. But nothing of the sort occurred.

His eyes opened as slowly as the door and the house was dark. Furrowing his brows, Ciel stepped inside and closed the door behind him, looking around.

"Sebastian!" he called. The silence rang in the house and Ciel furrowed his brows and walked around the house, his demon eyes able to see without the assistance of any light. He could not sense the presence of his demon butler, and this in itself alarmed him.

Clenching his fists, he turned and ran outside to the dark streets, the space around him all but deserted.

"Sebastian!" he shouted, his fists clenching tighter. "Where are you?"

* * *

><p>"Ah, Sebas-chan! You've come to me!" Grell snickered, crossing his legs as he looked to the demon approaching him. "Of course I knew you would, it was only a matter of time. What's the matter? Finally gotten tired of that little brat of yours and want me to put you out of your misery."<p>

"Not quite, Grell." Grell arched a brow.

"Oh? Then whatever could it possibly be." He flipped back his long red hair. "Unless you've finally come to realize your burning love for me, to which I will happily embrace!" he chirped, jumping up towards Sebastian, his arms spread wide and his lips puckered. Sebastian stepped aside easily and Grell fell forward and rolled into the wall, lying sprawled on the floor.

"I assure you, it's nothing of **that** sort. I'm not interested in the slightest." Grell thrust his lower lip out in a pout.

"Boo. Well, what **have** you come here for, Sebas-chan?" Grell asked, rolling over so he lay on his stomach, resting his head against the palm of his right hand and twirling a lock of red hair with his other hand. "My curiosity is so piqued, Sebas-chan!"

"I'm sure it is," he said. "I need to know about lost souls."

"Ohhhh, your little master wanted to know a little something about those too, I believe. Wondering how to find the kid's soul?"

"He's already found it." Grell looked genuinely startled and sat up straight.

"Really? How did the brat manage to accomplish **that** feat?"

"He is a very determined young man; we'll just leave it at that." Grell looked visibly annoyed by the slight affection in Sebastian's voice but waved it off.

"So what have you come to me for?"

"I have a question that only a reaper may answer." Grell quirked a brow at Sebastian, resting his hands on his hips.

"Well, go on then." Sebastian's lips twitched into a smirk.

* * *

><p>"So, you have returned to me again, young Phantomhive?" the voice drawled, looking up at the demon child with a smirk on their face. The figure wore a black, silk cloak with a raised hood, long white hair peeking out from the hood. They sat at a round table with a spread of black and red tarot cards before them.<p>

"I need to know what becomes of me if I feed my butler my soul."

"Oh? And why do you need to know this?" Ciel held up the crystal and the fortune teller cackled wildly.

"Oh, a lost soul, a lost soul! That be quite the find! How simply marvelous!"

"And how would you know what this is?" Ciel growled.

"We're on the seventh card of the Celtic cross reading I did for you, aren't we?" Ciel glared. "The nine of swords," he purred, flipping the card up with a smirk. "Do you remember what it means, young Phantomhive?" He snickered. "This is how you see yourself in the present – your resistance is low and your resilience is thwarted. You are beginning to lose your spirit, aren't you? Both figuratively and literally."

"Hardly. Ciel Phantomhive is not so weak and pitiful!" Ciel declared, his red eyes flashing as he lifted his chin, attempting to maintain his air of dignity. The fortune teller chuckled darkly.

"Putting on an act will hardly do you any good, Lord Phantomhive. The cards do not lie." Ciel glared and the teller snickered wickedly. "Tell me, Lord Phantomhive, were you ready and willing to have your soul devoured by your demon, even if it meant potentially destroying yourself completely?"

"Yes," Ciel answered simply.

"Why?"

"A vow is a vow, and a contract is a contract. Nothing more, nothing less. I'm a man of my word and that is all there is to it."

"I wonder, though, isn't it a tad more personal than that? Have you considered the idea that you have come to care for your demon after all these years?" the fortune teller drawled, stroking his chin with a grin spreading across his face that would not look out of place on the Cheshire cat. Ciel could not prevent the light blush from spreading across his face and silently cursed himself for even giving the fortune teller a glimpse at his insecurity.

"No. How could one ever care for a demon such as him? He has no heart."

"Are you telling me this or are you reminding yourself of that?"

"…"

"And don't be so certain that demons don't have hearts. You, yourself, clearly experience a myriad of emotions despite being a demon. Would you not qualify that as having a heart?"

"Where is Sebastian now?" Ciel asked, growing more and more vexed by this conversation. He was getting nowhere.

"Now, now, young Phantomhive, what's your rush? You only have a limited time to enjoy yourself the way you are now before your demon devours you completely, why not stay and chat with me a bit? I'll certainly miss having an interesting creature like you in existence."

"Shut up, you," Ciel snarled, baring his fangs while his eyes glowed. "I am in no mood to listen to your extraneous chatter. Tell me where Sebastian is now!"

"My, my, so impatient. Very well…your precious demon is meeting with a divine being in Rome at the moment. I know not of any more details than that, but I'm assuming he's pondering over your soul as well."

"Tch, probably trying to figure out where the next good meal will be." Ciel stood and grabbed his cane and coat. "Thank you."

"Be wary, lord Phantomhive. Fate operates in mysterious ways…" Ciel's shoes clicked on the wooden floor as he left the tent, the cloud of incense temporarily disturbed by his motion before settling again in the dimly lit space. "Hm…hm…heh…I do wonder how this entire little melodrama will play out…never did I dream this would be so entertaining to watch…"

* * *

><p>"I see…so regardless, the result would be the same…" Sebastian mused and Grell nodded.<p>

"That's right, Sebas-chan. So, knowing this, what will you do now? Your hesitation puzzles me, to say the least." Grell leaned forward, quirking a brow slightly, his lips pursing slightly. "Don't tell me you've actually grown _**fond**_ of the brat, have you?" Sebastian smirked.

"Perhaps I have."

"What? How could you possibly want some little kid when a reaper like me is more than prepared to devote himself to you?"

"I'll tell you the same thing I told that hermaphrodite angel; you aren't my type." **(Annnnnnd this is how Sebby ultimately turns down Grell.) **Grell's jaw dropped considerably and Sebastian's taunting smirk grew on his lips as he stood, grabbing his coat. "Well, thank you for your time, Grell. I must be going now." He turned and walked towards the door, closing it in time to hear Grell yelling something about leading a lady on.

Chuckling darkly to himself, he put on his coat and sauntered down the street, the moon high in the sky.

"_Ah Bocchan…you are waiting for me, aren't you?"_ He walked down the streets until he came to a dark alley before looking down, his red eyes glowing in the darkness. "So…what now, Bocchan?"

Ciel walked out of the darkness, the brilliant crystal gripped tightly in his hand.

"You knew I was here?"

"I detected your presence as I was leaving the shop. Though I'm amazed you sought me out all the way here," he said, smirking. Ciel could not prevent his stomach from leaping at the familiar sight that he had feared was lost forever.

"You know what I've done, don't you?"

"You have found your immortal soul…" Sebastian said candidly, cocking his head to the side slightly. There was no hint of doubt in his voice, but the gesture felt out-of-place almost.

"Yes…"

"Have you come all this way to present it to me? How unceremonious of you, Bocchan." Ciel clenched his fists more tightly, his entire body clenching along with it. Damn him…damn that bastard…

"Watch your tongue! Until you devour this, I am still your master and you are my butler!" Ciel declared, glaring, and Sebastian felt a rather unexpected, but not altogether unpleasant, shiver run down his spine. He smirked and bowed.

"Forgive me, Bocchan." Ciel stared down at the crystal in his fist, the glow radiant and proud – much like Ciel had once been.

"Sebastian…I have an order for you." Sebastian blinked in surprise but decided to go along. He was still playing the faithful butler…until the very end.

"Yes?"

"…when you consume my soul…I want you to find a way to destroy me. I do not want to exist once our contract is concluded."

"But Bocchan, are you sure that is what you want?" Sebastian asked.

"Yes." Ciel held out the crystal. "You will no longer be my butler after you eat my soul, but I order you to fulfill this order regardless. Destroy me, any way you can. Make it so my being is completely eradicated from this world and the next." Sebastian knelt forward, bowing to his lord.

"Yes…my lord." Ciel's eyes closed momentarily at the intimate caress of those words. They filled him with pleasure that he did not want to acknowledge, but was there regardless. Sebastian reached up for Ciel's hand and the prize that he held.

"Well, well, isn't this a charming picture." They both stopped and looked up onto the roof of the cottage near them. Ciel's eyes widened slightly at the sight before him.

"Impossible!"

"Ash?"

* * *

><p><strong>Ah ha! I bring to you all a twist! I'll be honest, I wasn't originally going to bring Ash back in this fic, but I feel it will better serve the ending. Now, how is he alive? I'll explain that later. But, for now, enjoy the sudden change in plot!<strong>


	8. Page of Wands

**I'm bored and I don't feel like studying, so why not update while watching the original Batman the Animated Series? That sounds like a good time, right? **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sebastian or Ciel. Kuroshitsuji and all of its characters are property of Yana Toboso. Please support the original anime and manga. I only own the plot of this fanfiction.**

**The Tarot cards and their meanings of courtesy of the book "How to Read Tarot" by Liz Dean.**

* * *

><p><em>Page of Wands<em>

"Ash…but how?" Ciel cried out. Upon the roof, silhouetted by the moonlight, stood, the fallen angel of massacre, his wings brilliant and white, silvery hair flowing in the soft breeze as he smirked down at them.

"It would appear that bloody angels don't stay down for long…" Sebastian muttered bitterly, pulling his silverware from his coat.

"Do you always carry that with you?" Ciel asked, staring at Sebastian incredulously. Ash leapt up, spreading his wings as he fell towards them, landing elegantly before them with a cruel smirk on his lovely face.

"Well, well, isn't it funny how things turn out, Sebastian? You fought me so hard for that boy's sake…and you have not even devoured the soul you so desperately crave. It only goes to show…ambrosia is for the divine, not the wretched." Sebastian pulled Ciel back behind him, taking a defensive stance before the boy.

"Why are you here?" he asked coldly.

"Not happy to see me?" Ash asked, smirking.

"Hardly…" Sebastian said.

"Well, if you must know, I'm here to do what I was seeking to accomplish from the beginning – I am here for that wretched soul."

"Then you ought to know I simply will not allow that," Sebastian said icily, his fist clenching slightly. Ash chuckled wickedly, his violet eyes flashing violently as he drew his sword.

"A lowly creature like you, demon, has no right to command me." He lunged forward, slashing his rapier. Sebastian grabbed Ciel and leapt up, narrowly missing the blow. They landed gracefully and Sebastian looked over his shoulder briefly before shoving Ciel to the side and ducking back, the glittering blade nearly clipping his nose.

Ciel stumbled and fell against the wall, gripping the crystal in his fist before spinning around, pressing his back up against the rough brick.

"Sebastian!"

Ash continued to lunge and thrust the blade at the graceful monster, a wild smile on his normally stoic face.

"How are you still alive?" Sebastian growled as he jumped up and flung his butter knives at Ash, who deflected them with his sword. He chuckled darkly and flew up.

"Are you joking? A demon defeating an angel? Not likely!" His sword came down, piercing the payment next to Sebastian's shoulder with ease.

"Do not be so quick to judge," Sebastian smirked. "As I recall, demons are simply fallen angels…and you are hardly different from us."

"How dare you!" Ash snarled, retracting his rapier and aiming for Sebastian's face. He bent back beautifully; the sword's thrust missing him as he brought his feet up to kick the sword from Ash's hand. It flew up in the air and Sebastian landed on his feet, reaching up and catching it with ease.

"Well, why don't I try this?" Sebastian asked, thrusting at Ash who moved back, dodging the slashes of his sword. "It would appear that the tables have turned in my favor!" Sebastian growled with a vile, dangerous, disgustingly radiant smirk as he slashed Ash's arm, causing his blood to spray out.

"Damn you!" Ash snarled, gripping his arm as Sebastian chuckled.

"Look at you…just as lowly as before. I cannot fathom why you insist on fighting me." Ash smirked.

"So arrogant…a typical quality in a demon such as you."

"Typical of me? Why, arrogance originates from the very angels we came from. You hardly have room to talk, Ash," Sebastian mused.

"Heh…so you will continue to fight me for that brat's soul? Fine then." Ash spread his wings and flew up, diving towards Ciel and Sebastian's eyes widened.

"MASTER!" He flung the blade at Ash and narrowed his eyes slightly as it ran straight through Ash's chest. He froze before Ciel, whose eyes were widened as the crimson blood ran down his face and stained the front of his clothes. Ash turned his head slowly and smiled at Sebastian.

"Thank you for my sword, Sebastian." Ash reached back and extracted the blade, returning it to the scabbard hanging at his waist. Ciel snarled at Ash, his eyes glowing as his claws and fangs grew slightly.

"Stay away from me, beast!" he growled, scratching at Ash's face and causing more of his blood to spill, staining part of Ciel's sleeve.

"Oh, what a wretched little boy you are," Ash said softly, his voice intermingling with Angela's and he reached down, grabbing Ciel's neck. "I ought to teach you some manners…" her soft, elegant voice whispered with a dangerous tone in its depths.

Her wings spread and she flew up, Ciel in her arms.

"SEBASTIAN!" Ciel shouted, trying desperately to free himself from her grip.

"BOCCHAN!" Angela chuckled wickedly, smirking back down at Sebastian before fleeing away from him with Ciel. Sebastian clenched his fists. "Damn him…I'll send him down to the pits of hell where he belongs!" He took off running down the streets.

"…ehehehehe, oh what fun." Undertaker's booted foot splashed into the puddle of Ash's blood as he snickered darkly. "I never imagined how much fun it would be to play with those two."

"_How others see our lord, Phantomhive…the Page of Wands. There is a sudden anger or possibly love there."_ The silk cloak dragged on the stone ground and Undertaker looked up, his large grin spreading on his face.

"Well now, my brother, is that what his reading told you?" The figure raised his hand and threw back his hood, revealing Jasper's face with an amused smirk.

"Indeed it did. It would appear that the boy's demon is certainly upset for circumstances resulting this way. Do you suppose he will save the boy?"

"You are the fortune teller, not me, my brother."

"This is true. Well…for now, I am perfectly content with sitting back and beholding the show, aren't you?"

"Oh certainly, Jasper. After all…I have never come across two beings that entertain or impress me more."

"The final act is fast approaching…how will our tragic hero fare? What shall occur at the end of it all…I wonder…"

* * *

><p>"<em>I don't understand…how Ash could possibly still be alive. It does not make any sense…I know I killed him atop the Tower Bridge over three years ago."<em>

He closed his eyes briefly, recalling that faithful night when his contract with his young master had been fulfilled.

"_Master…if I may ask a favor…" He leaned down to whisper in Ciel's ear. "Please close your eyes."_

"_Sebastian?"_

"_I am your butler…it is not appropriate for my master to see me as anything less than a perfect butler. Please…close them until I say so." Ciel nodded once._

"_Alright." Sebastian leaned back and stared as Ciel slowly closed his eyes. His bowed his head forehead slightly before standing up and turning to face Ash, his eyes glowing back. _

"_And now I will let you see my true form. It is vile, repulsive, disgusting…" He approached Ash, the black feathers quoting him as his metallic heels clicked on the metal, creating some sparks. Ash's eyes widened and his expression grew into one of unadulterated horror._

"_A-a demon…"_

_Ciel sat up and heard Ash's screams as Sebastian began to attack. The shock wave caused Ciel to slide and fall towards the edge, which he clung to desperately. Sebastian's focus was temporarily broken as he noticed his master fall._

"_Master…can you hang on long enough for me to count down from ten?"_

"_Y-yes!" Ciel shouted, tightening his grip on the ledge._

"_Then here we go…ten!" He moved forward. "Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One!"_

Sebastian furrowed his brows. He had become a part of the Tower Bridge…he knew that. So what could have happened to bring Ash back?

He leapt up to the roof of the building, racing across it, trying to track his young master through their contract, their seal.

"My, my, Sebas-chan. What's got you so flustered?" Sebastian stopped and gasped, Grell leaning forward from the top of a building, his chainsaw in his hand.

"What do you want, Grell?"

"Ohhh, so snappy." He leapt down, landing near him with a wicked smile on his face. "Did you lose your little brat again?"

"I am hardly in the mood to deal with your asinine nonsense," Sebastian growled and Grell revved his chainsaw.

"You wound me, Sebas-chan! After all we've been through; you've simply stomped upon my fragile little heart. I ought to teach you how to treat a lady!" He lunged and brought the chainsaw up and Sebastian leapt back.

"_Damn…I'll never find Ash at this rate. I need to hurry up and crush this pathetic fool before I run out of time."_ He pulled out his pocket watch as he dodged another blow.

"Are you really so confident you think you can check the time while fighting me?" Grell asked, slashing again.

"You've already wasted too many seconds of my precious time…" Sebastian clamped his watch shut with a loud _clack_ before returning it to his pocket and jumped up, kicking Grell in the head and causing him to become momentarily disoriented.

But every Phantomhive butler knows you simply cannot afford to waste a single moment.

Sebastian was no exception.

He balled his fist and struck Grell in the face, sending him flying back off the roof and causing him to land on the ground below, the chainsaw at his side slowly stopped and Grell twitched.

"…ow…"

Sebastian brushed his hands together to remove any imaginary dust from his immaculate, white gloves.

"Sorry I can't play with you more, but I'm in a bit of a hurry." And with that, he continued off into the night. Grell growled and coughed, unable to get up.

"F-fine! Then we are over, Sebas-chan! I'll find me someone who will treat a lady like me right!" he shouted hoarsely to the night air. "You'll see!"

* * *

><p>"LET ME GO!" Ciel shouted, squirming violently in Angela's arms as she landed in front of some familiar ruins.<p>

"Remember this place, Lord Phantomhive?" He gasped and stared at the rubble of the abbey where the truth had first started to come into the light for him.

The blasphemous puppet that had been a rag doll of who his parents once were.

The burned scar that, to this day, still metaphorically bled on his side and reignited the hatred that had constructed his very soul at this point.

He fell to his knees, gasping slightly for breath as Angela watched him, her eyes dull in luster.

"It hurts, doesn't it? The memories of your past…"

"Shut up! Everything painful about my past was because of you! You made me the way I am!" Ciel shouted, rounding on her as his claws and fangs sprouted. Her smile only served to add fuel to his fury.

"And now your life continues to tread down its tragic path, Lord Phantomhive. You stand upon the brink to oblivion."

"What are you talking about?"

"That soul you have…are you ready to give it up to him? Are you ready to be nothing but a lifeless marionette on the stage of shadows known as the world?" She walked forward and grabbed his chin, staring into his eyes and stroking the side of his face. "You care for him, but do you really want to risk losing him forever?" Ciel flinched.

She smiled coldly.

"I can help you…I can take your soul from you and keep it somewhere Sebastian will never find it. Then he will be yours forever."

"Why should I trust you?" Ciel hissed.

"My dear Lord Phantomhive, what would I have to gain from lying to you now? If you care to know my motives, I simply want to get my revenge upon that demon. You will have him for yourself for all eternity and I will have the soul he craves most and will never be able to have." She smiled. "I simply wish to make this deal with you, Ciel."

He frowned and narrowed his eyes slightly, clenching the fist that held his crystal, his lips twitching as they began to form words, but no sound coming from his mouth.

"N-"

She pulled him towards her and forced him to look up at her, her fingers flexing against his chin.

"Perhaps you would like some more convincing?" she whispered. His eyes widened as she flew up with him into the orange and grey sky. He snarled, trying to escape her and she sighed, shaking her head slightly. "Such a stubborn, ill-behaved child."

"I am not a-" He grunted as she struck the back of his neck and he felt something that was unnaturally cold and hot seep into his neck and he blacked out in the angel's arms. She smirked and continued to fly away from the ruins, her gaze calculating and manipulative.

* * *

><p><strong>Ohhhh, we're getting close to the end here! I must say I'm feeling quite giddy about it. And I do love cliffhangers, they make you all hunger more fo rthe next chapter! So please, send me more nice reviews and I shall post again. But until then, BATMAN TIME! -runs off-<strong>


	9. Nine of Cups

**I have a feeling somebody maaaaaaaaay or may not kill me for this chapter, but whatever. I hope you all will enjoy it anyway.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sebastian or Ciel. Kuroshitsuji and all of its characters are property of Yana Toboso. Please support the original anime and manga. I only own the plot of this fanfiction.**

**The Tarot cards and their meanings of courtesy of the book "How to Read Tarot" by Liz Dean.**

* * *

><p><em>Nine of Cups<em>

"Wake up, my dear earl Phantomhive…" a voice whispered. Ciel's eyes opened slowly and he was lying on a bed. He looked to the side to see Angela next to him, smiling.

"Where are we?" Ciel asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Somewhere that should be familiar." Angela snapped and the vision of his bedroom faded into that of a church. He looked around the church, frowning. The imagery of the angels on the walls and the so-called savior made his stomach lurch. All a bunch of empty promises…

"I apologize for the setting, Lord Phantomhive, but I figured we ought to come somewhere without worrying about any unnecessary interruptions." He heard the footsteps approaching him from behind and the sound of rain thundered outside.

"I am not interested in your deal, Angela," Ciel said, turning around and gasping. Before him…it was… "Sebastian?"

"Sebastian" smirked and bowed his head slightly before looking up, his eyes containing a hint of violet before changing to crimson.

"No…Ash. How is it that you look like Sebastian?"

"Consider my offer, Lord Phantomhive. If you accept…" He grabbed Ciel's waist and drew him forward, his voice even sounding like Sebastian's. Ciel's eyes widened as Ash's smirk broadened slightly and he grabbed Ciel's chin. "You will have all eternity to use your servant however you will. To fulfill the desires you have suppressed for so long." He snapped again the church changed to look like his bedroom, only the lighting was that of nightfall. Ciel was shoved back onto his bed and hit the soft mattress with a soft "oomph."

"N-no, w-wait! What are you-mmph!" He flinched as Ash's mouth covered his in a searing kiss and Ciel gripped at his chest, trying to push him away.

"_No! Stop!"_

"_The nine of cups…this card represents your hopes and fears. Your hopes for having your desires fulfilled, your hope and fear of achieving your goal, my little Phantomhive."_

Ash only tightened his grip on the young demon, deepening the kiss which only served to nauseate Ciel. It felt wrong…horribly, disgustingly wrong. Even if he did look like Sebastian, it wasn't him!

His lips were as cold as ice and tasted of something bitter and slightly sour, which disgusted Ciel to no end. His grip was bordering painful…well, it would have been painful were he not a demon, but he acknowledged that the nails digging into his upper arms were uncomfortable.

"G-GET AWAY!" he shouted, pushing him back, wiping his mouth in disgust. That disgusting taste lingered in his mouth and he felt like retching. Ash smirked a little.

"What's the matter, Ciel? Do you not want to fall into the arms of your dear Sebastian?" he asked in Sebastian's voice, cupping the boy's chin only to have Ciel slap his hand away.

"You are not Sebastian!" Ciel snarled, the setting of the church returning as Ciel lay on the hard floor.

"_No, he certainly is not…"_ The stained glass video shattered as Sebastian burst in, landing in front of Ciel and glaring up at Ash. His eyes were glowing and there was an indescribable amount of hatred and bloodlust in them as his demonic aura seemed to have escalated to a tangible, grey cloud around him. He was gloriously terrifying.

"My, my, I don't believe I've ever seen a demon react so…passionately over another being, especially a contract vessel."

"I do not want anyone to ever touch my Bocchan besides me…least of all a creature as sickening as you." Ash chortled darkly as his hair began to turn white and his uniform changed back to the white suit he usually wore, the sword hanging from his waist.

"How harsh, Sebastian. You wish to protect your master so terribly?" Ash smirked and looked at Ciel as he adjusted his jacket. "So, Lord Phantomhive…are you willing to take me up on my deal?" he asked. Sebastian looked at Ciel who was looking down, his hair covering his eyes.

"Bocchan?" Sebastian asked. Ciel stepped forward and Ash smirked, extending his hand while Sebastian's eyes widened. The two immortal creatures watched the fragile demon child take each slow step towards the so-called creature of heaven.

"Yes, Lord Phantomhive…bring me your soul and you will have all you desire." Sebastian's eyes widened even more and Ciel stopped right in front of Sebastian, his eyes still hidden.

"Sebastian…" He perked up slightly, furrowing his brows. Ciel lifted his chin, his eyes cold and hard and his mouth a stern line. "This is an order…put an end to this fallen angel! Anyway you can!"

Ash growled and Sebastian smirked. Ciel turned to look at Sebastian, holding up the crystal between his fingers before looking over his shoulder at the demon, a smirk playing on his lips.

"You won't get this until you end him, once and for all." Sebastian closed his eyes and kneeled before Ciel gracefully, his heart pounding with newfound adrenaline and his stomach tightening into a pleasant knot at the familiarity of the scene.

"Yes, my lord." He smirked. _"How reminiscent…" _Ash growled and clenched his fists.

"You are a fool, Lord Phantomhive. The path you tread on will only bring you despair and will ultimately destroy you. Is that what you want?" Ash snarled and Ciel stood his ground firmly.

"I suppose angels understand nothing of honor or loyalty. While demons may not understand these principles either, humans do. Sebastian and I formed a contract. He fulfilled his end perfectly and far exceeded my expectations…and so…I refuse to let something like you take what rightfully belongs to him." Ciel's words stirred something inside the depth of Sebastian's so-called soul and he beheld his young master, breathing in slowly.

"Impudent brat, I'll rip you and that wretched soul of yours to shreds!" Ash darted forward, hand on his sword. Sebastian began to lunge forward, extending his arm out.

"Bocchan!" Ciel jumped up, landing on Ash's blade as it sank to the ground and Sebastian gasped, staring at the young demon. His eyes were glowing pink and he was leering down at Ash, who gasped and met his wicked gaze.

"You disgust me."

"SHUT UP!" He pulled his blade and Ciel jumped off, landing next to Sebastian. Wiping his mouth, he eyed the demon that blinked down at him.

"Why are you just standing there? I gave you an order, didn't I?"

"Ah…" He smirked and bowed slightly. "Forgive me, my lord. I was temporarily distracted by your ability to defend so readily. It was quite a charming surprise."

"Tch. How cheeky of you." Sebastian smirked and began to move forward towards Ash.

"You've certainly lost your touch, Ash. I don't recall you being so careless in our last fight until I came at you at my full power." He stopped a few feet away from him. "Tell me, are you really who you appear to be?"

"Shut up, demon!" Ash growled, slashing his sword towards Sebastian who ducked with ease.

"Oh my, how very sloppy indeed. As I recall, in our last fight, you were easily able to cost me one of my arms. But at this rate, I won't even bear a scratch." He pulled out his silverware and leapt up, flinging them at Ash, one of the knives digging into his shoulder.

He cried out in pain and Sebastian chuckled sardonically as he landed on a pew. "You are no angel…you're not the fallen angel of massacre I killed in London. So tell me…who or what exactly are you?"

Ash began to laugh; the sound vicious, deranged, and disgusting. Sebastian furrowed his brow as Ash looked up, a wild look in his eyes that would make anyone's, even a demon's, flesh crawl and stomach lurch.

"I am the one who is going to send you and that demon brat to the deepest pits of hell where even Satan won't bother to spit on your rotting corpse."

"Oh my, such vile rhetoric from such a repulsive charlatan. It really moves me," Sebastian sighed, leaping away from Ash's blade again.

"Sebastian, stop fooling around!" Ciel commanded.

"Yes, my lord." Sebastian pulled out more silverware and flung them, causing Ash to fly back and slam into the wall, the knives pinning him to the stone. "I imagine that the damage we're causing here will be a cause for disconcertion."

"Are you hardly concerned?" Ciel asked.

"Not really." He smirked. "This is a joke to me, after all." A loud cracking sound caught their attention as Ash began to cause the wall to crack, his great wings beating powerfully as the entire building trembled.

Sebastian's eyes widened and he ran to Ciel, picking him up bridal style and leaping out of the broken window as the entire church began to crumble down into a pile of rubble. Ciel clung to Sebastian, looking back at the collapsing debris with horror-filled eyes.

"We need to move away from here, quickly. Before we attract the attention of a mob of people."

"Yes, my lord." Sebastian took off running as Ash rose from the building, his wings practically glowing in the moonlight.

"You can run, demon, but you can never escape!" he shouted, unleashing a series of sharp feathers that created craters in the cobblestone pavement as Sebastian dodged them.

"He certainly is persistent," Sebastian remarked.

"What do you think he really is?" Ciel asked.

"I can't say for sure, but I do know one thing. He is no angel."

"That's a bit of an understatement." He jumped onto a rooftop, continuing his inhuman speed when a barrage of feathers suddenly came down right in front of them, causing Sebastian to lose his footing and start to fall back.

"Damn!" He flipped back and landed on his feet near a marble fountain as Ash loomed over them on a roof, his shadow expanding on the ground like a monstrous gargoyle.

"I have you now."

"We will have to take the fight here." Sebastian set Ciel down and pulled out his knives. "Bocchan, I intend to defeat him no matter what it takes." Ciel nodded.

"Do whatever you have to, Sebastian."

"I'll kill you both!" Ash roared, unleashing another barrage of feathers that Sebastian and Ciel both dodged with ease. He ran forward and flung more silverware, which Ciel could not help but briefly wonder…where did he keep his seemingly endless supply of silverware anyway?

Ash snarled at them and Sebastian cocked his head to the side.

"Let me see…you are no demon, and no angel. And that sword of yours is not death scythe…so what exactly are you?" he asked. Ciel jumped from the feathers and landed next to Sebastian.

"Does it really matter, Sebastian?"

"Well, it will be helpful information if I am to execute your order to destroy this creature." Ciel frowned at the deranged "angel" across from them. He no longer resembled Ash in his face – the blind fury and murderous instinct made him resemble a monster. But Sebastian had already said he was not a demon.

"Perhaps a puppet?" Ciel suggested.

"What makes you think that, my lord?"

"Not a demon, not an angel, not a reaper, but obviously not human. He must be a tool created by a divine being. Perhaps he was made by an angel or a reaper, or even another demon. But it has to have been someone who knows about us and what happened in London." Sebastian stared.

"I am impressed, my lord. You grow more intuitive every day." Ciel smirked at the demon butler and cracked his knuckles.

"So how do we go about this?"

"We?"

"Yes, we. I have a personal grudge against this creature." Ciel pulled a face at the memory of having his (he hated to admit this) first kiss stolen. (He'd never had the nerve to kiss Lizzy, and there'd really been nobody else in his life appropriate to experiment with. Besides, the earl had more important things to occupy his time with)

Sebastian chuckled and cracked his knuckles as well, eyes glowing pink.

"This…will be quite fun, I should think." The two demons sprang forward and Ash snarled.

"I'll send you both to hell and back!" He lunged his sword and unleashed another barrage of feathers. Sebastian and Ciel both dodged the attacks and Sebastian flung his silverware while Ciel's claws and fangs grew and he slashed at Ash's leg, causing it to spurt blood.

The clouds in the night sky began to thicken, covering the moon as lightning flashed, illuminating the divine battle. Ash maintained his height, despite the heavy downpour that began in a matter of moments and Sebastian averted his gaze to his young master.

"Bocchan, we may have to change our tactics if we wish to end this."

"So what do you propose we do, Sebastian?" Ciel asked. His eye patch had long-since disappeared and his contract was glowing brightly in his right eye.

"Clip a bird's wings?" Sebastian suggested with a smirk. Ciel looked thoughtful before mirroring the smirk.

"I do believe I like that idea."

"Come on!" Ash barked. "Is that the best you two lowly demons can do?"

"Quite the contrary; you have not even begun to see what we are capable of." The two demons moved, their speeds incredible. They each took off towards the closest buildings and scaled them up at an alarming rate as Ash futilely attempted to keep his eyes on the two dark blurs. "Now, Bocchan!"

Ciel and Sebastian leapt from an identical height towards Ash, claws and fangs bared, eyes glowing pink. He screeched as they each took hold of his wings, sinking black nails and white teeth into the almost spongy joint where the wing connected to the back.

Ash's eyes turned yellow as he continued to screech like a wounded bird as he tried in vain to shake off the two monsters while plummeting back toward the earth. Ciel and Sebastian both tore out the wings, bit by bit, the feathers flying off in a bloody mess until the wretched wings were horrendously half-ripped from Ash's flesh, staining his entire back crimson as they hung uselessly like dying tree branches.

Ciel and Sebastian leapt off the angel as he slammed into the ground and they both landed gracefully.

"Looks like this round is ours," Sebastian said. Ash trembled and clawed at the ground, twitching.

"No…no…this…isn't…over!" he snarled, his appearance morphing again. The white wings began to lose their bloody feathers, and the frame started to rot on his back.

The white hair turned gray and dull while the skin began to mottle and turn into a disgusting purplish-grey in some spots while the rest became the color of candle wax.

"A corpse?" Ciel asked.

"How is a corpse animated, I wonder?" Sebastian asked with a deep frown. "And the corpse of an angel, no less? It just doesn't add up."

"I was…brought back by my God." Ash stood, still clinging to his sword. "He knew I was right. He knew I was meant to kill you. To exact revenge."

"Ah, that is where you are wrong. You see, God is a bystander, as is Satan. He creates pawns and watches them act out their own lives to see which side will win in the ultimate game. God rejects those who turn against him, those who soak in sin. Revenge is not in His plan. Revenge is that of Satan's jurisdiction." Ash coughed up blood.

"Lies…useless…dirty…unclean…" he began to murmur and Ciel frowned.

"We must end this now, Sebastian."

"Yes, my lord."

"Unclean, useless, unclean, useless, UNCLEAN! USELESS!" Ash ran at them, pulling out a second rapier from his stomach and slashed at them. Ciel and Sebastian narrowly dodged and Ciel growled as he moved at the corpse.

Ash continued to thrust his swords at him and Ciel dodged each blow as he began to claw at Ash, who also was able to evade, despite his decaying state.

The two forces continued to battle in the pouring rain, Ash's blood and feathers staining the stone ground as his rage continued to awaken further.

"Damn you!" he snarled. "I refuse to allow a creature like you to exist and defile this world!"

"Defile it? How can I corrupt what is already corrosive and putrid? The world is nothing short of evil and unclean, and no amount of 'purifying fire' can ever remedy that. Light cannot exist without darkness, good cannot exist without evil." Ciel smirked. "If you are pure as you claim to be…in a twisted sense, you actually need me and Sebastian. Were it not for us, you could never be considered pure or good." Ash growled furiously.

"How dare you! I don't need monsters like you to prove my purity!"

"I think you'll find that you do," Ciel said, smirking. "And would a pure creature like you lust for a demon like Sebastian? Would a pure demon like you fraternize sensually with a demon hound? Face it, you may as well be a creature of hell with your sick, twisted soul."

"ENOUGH!" Ash thrust his blade at Ciel and he leapt back but miscalculated as Ash brought the other blade forward.

"CIEL!" Crimson eyes widened as red spayed the air.

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><p><strong>I LOVE CLIFFHANGERS! –dodges bricks and other heavy objects- Sorry guys, but it had to be done. It will make the last chapter more interesting.<strong>

**-Loud gasps- Did I neglect to mention the next chapter is the last? –dodges more bricks- Oh, come on, guys! The next chapter will be awesome (I hope) and it will make all of this worthwhile! **

**Ten reviews, that's all I ask. Ten reviews, and you get to read the conclusion. **


	10. Wheel of Fortune

**Hey guys. so, uh, I come home from work early tongiht and I decide to checkmy email, see if any new reviews came up. I'd gotten five before work so I checked for five more to see if I had twn already. There were ten new reviews in the inbox. I was like "O.O ...I think I ought to go ahead and update."**

**This story set a record in terms of how quickly I finished it. (Granted I was writing it for quite a few months before actually publishing it, but whatever.) I was seriously afraid this plot would not attract much attention and that a lot of people wouldn't like this fic, so I'm honored to have had such great readers. Thank you guys, I really hope you enjoy the last chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sebastian or Ciel. Kuroshitsuji and all of its characters are property of Yana Toboso. Please support the original anime and manga. I only own the plot of this fanfiction.**

**The Tarot cards and their meanings of courtesy of the book "How to Read Tarot" by Liz Dean.**

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><p><em>Wheel of Fortune<em>

"It's over!" Ash snarled as he gripped Ciel's throat and brought the sword down, Ciel's eyes widening.

"CIEL!" Red blood sprayed in the air and Ciel's eyes opened slowly and he gasped in horror. Sebastian hung limply before him, blade thrust through his chest as some blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"S-Sebastian." He coughed a little and sighed slightly to himself as his half-lidded gaze met Ciel's wide one.

"_Hard to believe…how far I've actually fallen..."_

"Hmph, stupid demon." Ash retracted his blade and Sebastian fell to the ground. "You messed up my aim."

"Sebastian!" Ciel cried, but Ash kicked him, knocking him back. Ciel snarled and snapped like a tiny animal and Ash loomed over him.

"Now, to finish you," he said, raising his sword.

"Like hell you will!" Ciel growled, his anger slowly consuming him. He wanted to kill him. He wanted to watch him suffer. Make him pay for what he'd done.

This sensation, this burning; it was so familiar but so much more powerful than what he'd felt before as a human. As a demon, he writhed in this burning feeling. This rage…this hatred…this lust for revenge.

Claws reached up to grip Ash's throat, digging into the flesh and causing more rotten blood to run down his arms. Ash howled in agony and dug the sword into Ciel's arm, but he ignored it as his grip tightened.

"I'm going to kill you," he said. But his tone was not harsh or deep or even angry. It was almost childish and had a slight sing-song tone and an untold amount of pleasure within it. Ash's eyes widened slightly. "I am going to rip you apart and make sure you survive enough to _**feel**_ it. I'm going to make you suffer, like you made me suffer as a human…and I'm going to make it even worse."

Ash tried to move back, but Ciel's claws were too deep into the bone to allow him to move away. Thunder rumbled and Ciel hissed and tackled Ash to the ground, ripping his claws free. He threw Ash's swords aside as the rotten angel tried desperately to escape from the rabid demon.

"Now, now, how rude of you to try and leave before the games can begin…"

Ciel's voice was hollow and devious. It was damn frightening to hear the sick pleasure twisting his words as if the murder he was prepared to commit was an innocent game for him to enjoy.

It began with the fingers. Each one mutilated and ripped off forcibly, the bones bursting from the muscle and littering the soaking ground as Ash's screams were drowned by the pouring rain. The rest of the hand followed.

Then, the elbows were snapped. The rest of the arm was ripped from the shoulders. It was easier than expected, but the flesh was half rotten and the muscles were decaying at well. Even the bones felt brittle in some areas, but the pain and the suffering were completely satisfying.

"Are you suffering, yet?" Ciel asked slowly. "Do you regret your sins?" Ash was losing himself to the anguish and could not form a sane answer, to which Ciel only found more sick pleasure.

"My, my, Bocchan." His eyes averted up to see Sebastian watching, but his eyes were glowing. "I must say…I never imagined such a glorious sense of sadism existed within your heart. However…" He knelt down and twisted Ash's neck, ripping his head from the body and he stopped twitched. "I did have to fulfill your order."

Ciel panted slightly, his eyes slowly losing their madness. He stared at the mutilated limbs that were scattered around him and raised his hands, the blood washing away with the rain.

"I…I never imagined my hatred could ever be stronger than what it was before…I became a monster."

"No, Bocchan, you became a demon. You are becoming a full-fledged demon in place of a young fledgling." The thunder boomed and Ciel stood slowly.

"I thought…he had killed you." The child's voice was growing more and more apathetic. Sebastian bowed his head slightly.

"I would never allow myself to be killed by such a lowly creature, Bocchan. There was never any danger of that."

"It's over now…" he sighed. Sebastian looked up at him and nodded slowly, his eyes glowing pink as he stood as well.

"Yes Bocchan."

"You look awful…" Ciel said, his butler a bloody mess – literally. Various sections of his clothes were ripped and stained with blood, but he had all of his limbs intact. There was a bloody hole in his chest from where the sword had plunged into him. Sebastian let out a soft laugh at the comment.

"I suppose I do. Forgive me, my lord, for presenting myself to you in such a fashion." He bowed at the waist to his young lord and Ciel shook his head slightly. It was comforting to play this role of Butler and Master for their last moments together, despite the battle they had just struggled through. Despite Ciel's temporary madness.

"I won't hold it against you." Ciel approached him, his heeled shoes splashing slightly in the splattered puddles of blood; stained feathers scattered everywhere like rotten leaves. Ash's body was already almost completely rotted away. Sebastian remained still, his chest still heaving slightly as the rain fell around them, beginning to wash away the mess. Even covered in blood and soaked from the rain, he was beautiful.

Ciel stood before him, looking up to meet the glowing gaze before reaching into his pocket and holding out the soul.

"This is yours." Sebastian reached down slowly, grasping the small gem from Ciel's tiny palm. Ciel temporarily held his breath at his touch and Sebastian observed its brilliant sheen. "What are you waiting for? Consume it! This is what you wanted, right?" Ciel said, a mixture of emotions building in his gut. He could not keep the frustration from leaking in his voice. Sebastian was only torturing him by taking his sweet time. He wanted nothing more than Sebastian to end it all right there.

"What I've wanted…" Sebastian mused, the light reflecting in his crimson eyes. He was truly glorious… At last he was finally returning to the demon he once was. "Very well, my lord. At your command, I shall act on what it is I truly want." He lifted his arm and brought it down again, flinging the crystal to the ground. Ciel squeezed his eyes shut at the shattering sound of the crystal.

He could sense the essence of his soul seeping up around them, thickening the air with its rich scent. It felt like a cloud that almost whispered around them, enveloping them both in its enticement. Sebastian would only have a minute t-

His eyes flew open as he was jerked forward and Sebastian pressed his mouth to Ciel's, thunder rumbling around them as the soul hung in the air. Ciel's small hands clutched at Sebastian's chest as he felt torn between pulling away and leaning in. Unlike Ash's kiss, Sebastian's was just…incredible. Sebastian must have sensed his hesitation and pulled back so their lips were as close as possible without actually touching.

Ciel's face really was glorious. Alabaster cheeks were stained the prettiest red. His lips were slightly swollen and moist. His eyes were clouded with one of Sebastian's personal favorite sins. Just looking at the boy sent a pleasant chill along his spine.

"B-but…what about…?"

"It will cause us less trouble if it is out of our reach," Sebastian said, smirking as the essence seemed to spread and move away from them, the scent of it completely gone in a matter of seconds.

"I don't understand…"

"Oh, come now, Bocchan. You are much smarter than that, aren't you?" Sebastian rested his forehead to Ciel's, the rain running in rivulets down their faces. "I would rather not have to see my young lord as a doll…your soul is precious…which is why it should exist. No angel deserves it, no reaper will hunt it, and I am the only demon meant to consume it, and I choose not to…"

"Sebastian…"

"You…" He sighed but smirked, "you have me wrapped completely around your little finger, it would seem. I am yours forever, my lord. Never in my entire life as a demon did I imagine I'd be so addicted to another being, let alone a human turned demon." Ciel's hands shook slightly as he reached up to cup Sebastian's face.

The rain ran along the older demon's soft, plump lips – making them look all the more inviting. With a forceful yet careful tug, Sebastian's mouth met Ciel's again and he smirked, greedily delving his tongue to taste the sweetness that was his young master. Ciel's soft moan only urged Sebastian to draw him closer, burying his marked hand into Ciel's soaking hair, the other arm looping around his waist.

The cold rain mixing with the hot sensations of Sebastian's mouth and tongue… The contrast made Ciel's body ache for more.

"Sebastian…" he half moaned, half sighed. The teasing smirk spread across the man's lips as he bent down, picking up the petite demon with ease and staring up into his vast eyes. The beautiful red and the purple contract that bound them together forever. Suddenly, that idea didn't sound so bad. He certainly would not be bored again for all eternity.

"Shall we return to the townhouse, my lord?" Sebastian asked. "I'm sure you're more than ready to…get out of those soaking wet clothes." While some might take this statement as a simple, courteous remark from a butler to his master, Ciel immediately caught the hidden meaning and the promise behind those words, which earned Sebastian a rather cat-like smirk.

"Yes, you're quite right. Let's go." Sebastian turned and carried his small master through the rain and away from the small lake of blood and scattered feathers and to their newfound future.

"And the last card, the outcome. The wheel of fortune…"

_His eyes fluttered shut as the gloves fell to the floor and the bare hands ran along his flesh. His gaze fell to the contract and he placed his hand over it, pressing his mouth to the back of it. A chuckled escaped the older man as he gripped the smaller one's chin, tilting his head up._

Jasper flipped the card a chuckled, stroking it with his long nails and throwing back his hood.

_Kisses engulfed his lips as he reached up, burying a hand in smooth, ebony locks. Tongues tangled as soaking wet clothing was discarded into piles on the floor without pattern or purpose._

"So it is turning again, Lord Phantomhive. So it is turning again…" Undertaker sat across from him, chuckling.

_His back hit the cool silk sheets as he tossed his head back, gasping and moaning as the demon planted kisses along his skin, following the path of his wandering hands._

"_S-Sebastian!"He gave a groan as response, his lips and hands never wavering from the enticing form beneath him._

"I never imagined it would turn out like this…to think he actually let the soul go again." Jasper smirked and returned the cards to his deck and shuffled it as the Undertaker leaned forward slighty. "I'll never understand demons…" he finally sighed, leaning back in his seat, running a hand in his long, silver lock. Jasper grinned a little at his brother.

_Their bodies rocked together and Ciel was letting out various noises of ecstasy as Sebastian continued to snap his hips back and forth. He panted and grunted in pleasure, limbs trembling slightly._

"_Wrap your legs around me, Bocchan," came the gruff order to which Ciel happily obliged, causing the volume of his moans to escalate. _

"Well…now the future is in their hands and it will be whatever they make of it."

"Very true."

"By the way, brother, how were you able to bring that angel's corpse back to life?" Undertaker cackled, wagging his finger.

"That, my brother, is my own little secret." Jasper eyed him with a slight frown.

_His fingers laced with that of his demon, their nails both elongated for they temporarily broke from the confines of their human facades as they indulged in the most beautiful sin together._

_It came to an end, but they both lay close and knew that this was only the beginning. _

The last candle flew out and the darkness settled in the tent.

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><p><strong>Annnnnnnnd, it is over. I must say, I absolutely ADORED the line I gave Sebastian in regards to Ciel's clothes. Sorry for no actual lemon, but I gave a little sour-sweet taste in between the lines (Literally). Well, this was my first, full-blown, Black Butler fanfic. I LOVE SebbyCiel! It is one of the greatest pairings ever! **

**I am sorry if some of my logic seemed confused, I did my best to make it all fit and my plot ideas sort of changed about three times while writing it so I did have to stretch a bit. But, otherwise, I really hope you all enjoyed it. I do wish I had made this chapter just a bit longer, but I hate adding pointless fluff so I decided to leave it alone after a while. **

**Still, thank you guys for reading, this was a lot of fun. See you next fanfic! **


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